To be annoyed by this (yes, benefits related, sorry)

[Spotbakesacake]

Name changed for this.

Dsd is with is is week. She randomly just dropped in to the conversation that her mums bf has moved a lot of his stuff back to his parents as he has moved back there in order that they can get more money which they need to buy a house in August. He still visits every day and stays over some nights. She was talking about his Xbox and said it was at his parents as he needed to have enough things there to convince 'them' that he didn't live there anymore.

To me this reads that he has nominally moved out in order that the mum can claim housing benefit again (as she only works a couple of days a week)

They have reserved a new build house that should be ready in august, dsd says they don't have enough money for it yet though.

The bf is in a well paid job, I think he earns nearly as much as dh actually. They are obviously impatient to move which I do understand. But this doesn't seem a very honest way to go about it. Dh and I saved for ages to have a house deposit.

Dh told me that his ex has been investigated for benefit fraud before although I have no idea what for, that was years ago. I only know because she thought it was him that reported her (he wasn't)

It's not that I have anything against dsd mum, I don't really know her but she seems nice enough. And it's not that I have any plans to try and report her or anything (unless people think I should!) I realise I know nothing like the full story. I'm just feeling rather grr about it.

If there's a disparity in the standard of living maybe ex should get a job like OPs DH has! You can't sit on your arse claiming and expect the same quality of life as someone who works! I don't think OP is begrudging ex upturning if fortune, I think she begrudges that she's fiddling the system in order to have the change in fortune.

I agree that I couldn't give a monkeys if it's 10 people abusing the system or 10 million. It's stealing. Even the most negative estimates on fraud I think are way out. Someone I know has got her first job at 32! That's crazy!

Happy, you and your family still use tax money if you are not on benefits.

Oooh not the right way obviously (although apparently a lot of people think it's fine....)

Only those caught will show on stats.

Considering the DWP employs a vast team of undercover sleuths, and has access to our bank accounts, I think we may safely assume they know how much benefit fraud there is.

I've had letters demanding to know where credits to my bank account came from, been watched for hours at a time by people sitting in cars outside my back gate, and caught a "government investigator" going through my bin. They don't fuck about.

(These investigators are being paid out of your taxes, clearly.)

molly where did I say I didn't? Everyone in the UK benefits from taxes, that's kind of a major point of them... Not the same as someone fraudulently claiming benefit...

Of course Happy and her family have been funded by the taxpayer.

And I have read all her posts. Just because I cross posted earlier doesn't mean I haven't.

monicalewinski read this thread and feel safe in the knowledge that it would be utterly acceptable for you to do that

Happy (and anyone who agrees) Unless your child has never been/never going to state school and you have never received child benefit and then you have never received child tax credits, then I (single female) have contributed to your child's upbringing. You're welcome.

Ok once more...

HappyGirlNow's Attitude Towards Benefits

Benefits system a good thing in a civilised society for those genuinely in need and eligible
Abuse of benefits system = bad
Genuine claimants = good

I can't make it any simpler.

What's the 'right amount'? What the government says?

So if the government says that your husband's ex partner, the mother of his first child, isn't doing anything wrong, then will you accept that? Or still be crapping on about 'morals'.

I wish people would have the courage to say this crap in their own usernames. So pathetic to hide behind a name change.

Can some people actually read or do they just read the OP, skip to the last few comments and post completely irrelevant shite?

No, Happy.

Fifi, think it through dear. She is a single mother so may well not be able to get a job like he has. Who has said she sits on her arse (whatever that actually means)? And I am talking, obviously I thought, about the child's standard of living. Spot, he may pay the "right" amount, and that is indeed "how it works" but what about the morals of the situation? As we all know by now how worried you are about everybody's morality.

And for the last time, I am not jealous, I am not bitter, I just don't think deliberately putting yourself back in the situation where you need to claim benefits is the right way to go about saving money.

Fo the last time, OP, you don't know that. You 'know' scraps, some of them from a nine year old.

For all you know the 9 year old has been told that the split is for tactical financial reasons to maintain her sense of security whilst they try to thrash out genuine difficulties in the relationship, attend couples counselling or whatever.

For all you know, your DH's DF-1st-wife might have mislead your DH about her DP's earnings to save face or he might have taken a pay-cut since.

You 'know' very little so how can you judge? Why do you want to anyway?

Incidentally, would you be so quick to take second hand info from a nine year old as gospel - completely accurate and fully informed if the safety of you or your DC depended on it?

candy I haven't name changed because it's about benefits, I name changed because it's an identifiable situation and my normal username has connections to my real name.

linerunner why, because our government is all about morals? If the government said this is ok then I would hunk they were wrong for permitting this kind of thing.

Ooh x-post LineRunner.

I think OP doesn't really rate DP's ex - 'she seems nice enough', not entirely convincing - and thought she'd start a post under a NC and about something that's got fuck all to do with her hoping to get loads of posters agreeing how scummy it is and congratulating her on being so morally superior to her dp's ex.

EatShitDerek I don think for a second that if someone stays at your house a couple of times a week your benefits should be cut. I was a single mum for years, I understand your situation. My comments have not been about you but the situation described in the OP.

OP what a crock of shit that post is. But if you are content to accept government rules when it suits your own personal purse, crap away to your heart's content.

I feel sorry for the child, usual.

and what was the relevance of bringing up an old fraud investigation? just a bit more mudslinging to prove your point, I suspect...