mum on benefits can afford to keep her dds 2 horses

[jugofwildflowers]

This is a lovely mum by the way. She has never married but been with the same partner for 25 years and they have 3 dc. He works and has another home but stays in family home often, although because she is 'single' and on benefits, she gets everything paid for and her dc have free school meals. I assumed that as the mum was on benefits, she wouldn't have much money.

They have 2 horses and she spends a lot of the time with them. We have a mortgage and after all the bills are paid we don't have enough to keep one let alone 2 horses! Comes across as sour grapes, doesn't it? Sorry but

[Sirzy]

Nickschick - if people don't shop people they think are commish fraud how are they ever going to catch people?

[Hullygully]

she should EAT THE HORSES the sponging flat screen owning fag smoking PONCE

[coccyx]

Lucky her that taxpayers and her boyfriend are supporting her!!!

[TheRealTillyMinto]

from the horses trust, costs of a horse for 1 year:

Annual Livery Costs
Full Livery (Per Annum) £5,200
Part Livery (Per Annum) £3,640
Working Livery (Per Annum) £2,600
Grass Livery (Per Annum) £1,560
Essential Annual Requirements
Shoeing (every 6 weeks) £645
Specialist shoeing (every 4 weeks) £1,950
Trimming (every 6 weeks) £215
Tetanus & Equine Influenza Vaccination
excluding vet call out fee £120
Worming Products (1 Syringe every 8 weeks) £78
Shavings (using 2 bales per week £728
Straw (small bales) (using 2 bales per week) £364
Hay (small bales) (using 4 bales a week) £936
Haylage (small bales) (using 3 bales a week) £936
Bag of horse/ pony cubes (using 1 bag every 3 weeks) £122
Bag of chaff (using 1 bag every 2 weeks for) £182
Additional Costs
Euthanasia & Carcass Disposal £500

[MrsRhettButler]

I see your point wannabe but that may not be the reason. Maybe they cannot get on together living in the same house and genuinely need their own space? I doubt many people could live apart for that long just for a bit more money, there must be another factor. IMO

[AVoidkaTheKillerZombies]

Its not about the horses, thats a non-issue.

The 3 nights a week is an urban myth, its more about how together the couple are, and after 25 years I would say they are more of a couple than most people.

[Hullygully]

What about people on benefits with dogs and cats?

Are they free?

They could eat those too.

[jugofwildflowers]

Yes, thank you, have posted in AIBU, have hard hat on and flame retardant suit and genuinely would like to get opinions. I know the mum quite well as I take dd to school everyday. DD and my dd are best friends.

It obviously isn't in the mum's interests to let people know she hasn't split up with her partner but her 13 yo dd is very forthcoming about her dad staying with them.

The horses are shod and around here it costs £65 per set per horse every 6-8 weeks. One of the horses was shipped over from Europe and they do a lot of competing so I suppose the dad finances this and has the money to do so because he doesn't have to play rent or contribute to his family's domestic costs.

As a hard earning taxpayer it is confusing because single mums on benefits genuinely need help.

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

why are people so horrible? is it just ignorance? do you wish you had your own horses?

they often involve considerable sacrifices, whether you have money or not

[Hullygully]

As a hard earning taxpayer it is confusing because single mums on benefits genuinely need help.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Oh yes, it's all about the altruism.

[AVoidkaTheKillerZombies]

I dont like horses, so no, I dont wish I had one.

[Hullygully]

Why don't you ask her how she affords it?

[Olderyetwilder]

When I said 'cheap' I meant relatively cheap. DH and I both have hardy live out horses. GD has two high maintenance ponies. We could keep both of ours on what one of the pomies costs, and still have enough left over for fags!

We do have to make sacrifices in other areas to afford the horses (both work, not on benefits btw) but it's our choice what we spend our money on, as it would be if we were on benefits

[nickschic]

Sirzy I know your right but all the people ive known to get in trouble are the innocent ones who have been 'shopped' by jealous/vindictive people ......I just dont think you can phone the Dhss up and say 'she has 2 horses shes a benefit fraud'.

[MrsRhettButler]

I understand that they've been together for a long time and are a 'couple' but they still have two sets of household bills

[ThingsThatGoFlumpInTheNight]

The point isn't what she can afford; more that she is fraudulently claiming benefits - and that you/we are paying to subsidise her lifestyle. I would struggle to be friends with somebody like that and would be tempted to shop her to the benefits agency.

However if she and her on/off partner can prove they have separate bills and addresses, I don't know if there's much anyone can do about it anyway...

[TenderlyLovinglyByAGoat]

but why would you worry about who finances them and how? maybe the family are resourceful

maybe they are like me and have probably forgotten to pay their other bills for about two years. I really think their sex life is their own concern too and shouldn't have anything to do with benefits, the fact is they are maintaining two homes. The benefit system is not generous enough to make that cheaper than running one family home.

[Hullygully]

Ask her. Your dds are best friends and she is lovely, yet you are so worried about her stealing money from deserving single mums that you want to make assumptions and shop her.

Nice.

[nickschic]

Perhaps she doesnt tell her dd the ins and outs of the split with the dds dad?

My friend is single her ds who has Sn will speak of a lovely dad who stays and visits and how much everyone gets on etc etc whereas I know in real life my friend is itching to hit her ex on the head with a cast iron frying pan ......her ds has no need to know this and she lets him think his Dad is wonderful.

[AFuckingKnackeredWoman]

They need the horse to keep their free goat company.

[natation]

The horses are not really relevant but I understand how unfair it must feel, but the fact is that if what you say is correct, then the family are cheating the system, they are stealing from you and me and every other family who pay taxes to the UK. Rather than complaining here, I would give the details over to the authorities - I'd leave out the details of the horses, just give details of names, addresses etc.

[Hullygully]

I think the details about the horses are really key. Include that long list of costs posted earlier and perhaps a couple of photos.