just phoned benefit fraud line to report my son's friend's mum.

[foogle]

I have sat on the info for ages and didn't do anything except get angrier and angrier.

For christmas son's friend got a pony, bmx bike, x box, ipod and family ski trip.

My son got a second hand lego set as that is all we could afford this year.

Son's friend gets free school meals and all school trips paid for.

We can't afford school dinners and scrimp and save for son to go on school trips.

Son's friend's dad lives with them and works but I know she claims benefits as a single mum.

She earns £25 an hour cash in hand at a racing stables.

She gets everything paid for, including housing benefit etc.

We can't afford ponies nor lessons yet she has 2 competition horses.

I never thought I 'd do this as she's a nice person but I've had enough.

I'm with cory.

serenity someone driving over the limit is risking their life and the lives of others. reporting them is not the same as reporting someone claiming benefits they may not be entitled to out of sheer bitterness.

the op is not affected by this womans actions other than her own feelings of resentment. she isnt serving some greater good

Just so long as you report everyone you know who is "creative" with their tax returns as well. But I bet you don't. Even though far more is lost to the economy through tax avoidance (interesting that it isn't called tax fraud!) than through benefit fraud- somehow tax avoidance is somehow understandable and clever while benefit fraud is criminal.

Why is it mean and spiteful? It's wrong. The country is in a mess and whoevers 'fault' that is, people who openly defraud, and to such an extent (Assuming the points are correct) are really not helping - I would absolutley report somebody who was so open about cheating such ridiculous sums of money - and the employer who was paying cash in hand> whatever way you look at it< it simply isn't right! I think most of know people who have 'fiddled' the system one way or another and have stayed quiet about it just to then moan about cuts etc> I'll probably get slated here but I really cannot see what the problem is. This woman is clearly making it knowledge what she does and so if she really doesn't think it'sgoing to catch up with her then she must be very stupid. (keyboard playing up, excuse weird punctuation..)

Thats bull, most drink drivers do not cause accidents and most caught are not caught as a result of an accident or erratic driving. But never the less, it's an easy to understand (you'd think) analogy illustating that people breaking the law have to be punished. There is no victimless Crime

its bull that drink driving risks lives? ok.......

TAx avoidence is legal- furthermore EVERY time you use an avoidence technique you have to declare this to the revenue to give them the opportunity to close it. If they don't it's because is not cost effective.

How on earth would you know If someone had fiddled their tax return??

You know I didn't say that.

That's to catgirl btw

i am with Norris and a few others on here. I would absolutely phone and report someone fiddling the system. These are the people who are giving the benefits system a bad name and also stopping someone in genuine need from claiming. I am more than happy for a benefits system to be in place to support people who require it, not to fund luxury lifestyles. The majority of people who work full time do not have luxury lifestyles its hard work its shit and you get on with it. Why do you think the system is in such a state?? becuase of people taking the piss and getting away with it cos most people would rather turn a blind eye and let them get on with it.

BTW this is coming from someone who grew up in care with foster parents. The poster who claimed the children will be taken away blah blah blah is talking crap!

erm - in response to me saying benefit fraud was different to drink driving as drinkdriving risked lives and benefit fraud didnt you said

thats bull, most drink drivers do not cause accidents and most caught are not caught as a result of an accident or erratic driving.

they are not the same thing and reporting them is not the same thing

So what ages are the children?

AND WHAT BENEFITS DOES SHE CLAIM????

I'd love to know where I said they were the SAME thing.

You're trying to divert the thread based on semantics. So I'll
leave it there

Tax avoidance is legal - its using loopholes in the system. Most people wouldn't have a clue if trheir friends or neighbours were commiting tax fraud and that is why people don't report it. But its not unusual to find out for example that someone is working and claiming jsa.

I totally agree, catgirl

How is her benefit fraud keeping others from claiming? It's not like once the council reaches a limit no one else can claim.

and I have a feeling there would still be plenty of benefit bashing even if no one ever claimed fraudulently

*I imagine some little boy happily posting on FB about all his great presents, the happiest little boy in the world, not knowing that there you are, reading it and growing green with envy and deciding to shop his mum. He will probably end up evicted, maybe in care, going through hell for a while anyway, because you couldn't stomach his happiness.

I don't care if what she's doing is wrong, I couldn't do it. That poor boy sad*

That melodramatic statement obviously makes benefit fraud ok.

Yet another benefits fraud post?

OP don't take it too hard and don't blame the system if your "friend" is investigated and turns out to be innocent.
Most of us don't wear our hearts on our sleeves and normally keep any conditions we may have to ourselves. So even if you "know" this family very well, there may be things you do not know about them? Medical records are private afaik.

The only actual reasonable suspicion I see is that she claims to be a single mum even if the dad lives with her. not sure how this works out if he actually has a residence of his own and sleeps over?

It does sound like you reported this out of spite and not really because there was suspected fraud? Sounds like you want to punish the lady because her son got stuff yours didn't get? He got them doesn't mean she bought them. Lots of family members like to buy kids over.

At some point as a kid, we had seven dogs. In my mind they were ours, but looking back as an adult possibly not one belonged to us. Are you sure she "owns" the ponies? Or are they "hers" because she works with horses and gets to take care of some horses? It sounds like she may have a source of income here which may need to be declared.

And the list of questions can go on for ages. I hope the OP can see why an investigation could be quite lengthy?
Sorry OP but only the investigation can say if you were being unreasonable or not. At the moment, I wouldn't even consider you to be suspicious just a tad envious.

It is a good thing to aspire to greatness but at the same time, never forget to be proud of being able to live within your means. And what is it with all this making sure the neighbour has less than me?

Finally, I have see someone use the word "criminal" on here already. Everyone is innocent till proven guilty!

How is her benefit fraud keeping others from claiming? It's not like once the council reaches a limit no one else can claim.

Because benefits money is done by allocation more needy etc etc and have you noticed the cuts being done in the care sector/ disabled support etc etc. you trying to tell me we should be paying for someone who doesnt feel the need to work cons the system, takes the piss. over someone older persons care home being shut because of a funding shortage someone who has worked their whole life? and deserves to be looked after in old age and when needed? or someone who is disabled and deserves that bit of assistance to live by themselves? or requires support to live a normal life to include working?

when i was growing up i didnt have the latest x box, games consoles tv laptop etc etc. it was have what your given and you learn to go without and learn the value of money not everything chucked at you on a plate. I am 31 btw

It amazes me how many people seem to "know" all these details of someone else's family. I certainly don't discuss benefits and claiming statuses with friends, and in my circle of acquaintances some are on benefits while some are not. Why would I care? It's not my business.

Furthermore, I certainly didn't spend my time after Christmas analysing how they afforded this or that present for their child. Good grief! Get a life!

I have read nearly the entire thread and can't see anywhere (maybe I am blind) a list of the benefits claimed

It has been stated that the childs father lives with them,does he have another residence anywhere else that he pays rent/council tax on or owns outright as if he does then he is perfectly entitled to stay over,can this be confirmed

could the presents have been given as gifts from other family members and she has just told her son/everyone that she bought them?

I know plenty of children who say they own ponies but in reality they part share them on various days of the week

I in no way agree with benefit fraud but I would need documented evidence before even starting an investigation as if found not guilty it could destry a family

I know people that work in stables and family who use stables and in none of them does anyone earn £25 p/h,I suspect this is a payment for riding/caring for a horse and even if you claim benefits you can still work they just reduce your benefit but

Is there any possibility she has just made it up not wanting to feel like she is not keeping up with the jones',it may all have gone on credit cards

benefit fraud has not caused the global financial crisis. even if you and the DM would love that to be the case - it isn't. i am not saying benefit fraud is right, but the OP was motivated by spite nothing else. i think thats very sad.

Quiet...... Well said!! And nobody stops to consider all this, they see the words 'benefit fraud' and pile on in saying report, report, report....... But really, they haven't a clue about it all!

but the OP was motivated by spite nothing else.

but if the cheater was doing something wrong, thats not the OPs fault and regardless of motives has every right to report it

there's a big if in that statement loosyloo

Triggles - Stupid on their part, but people I know who have fradulently claimed benefits actually boast about it.