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AIBU?

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Original poster

Grassing up benefit fraud

35 replies

Unreasonablebetty · 09/09/2015 13:44

Hi,
I think I've been v unreasonable when it comes to a family I no.

It all started out with this couple moving from Portugal with their daughter, and to begin with we really liked them.
Then it came to the point where we were sorting out all of their benefit forms for them (they signed them obviously-and I only wrote the information they gave me)

He was born in Portugal, she wasn't so they then started talking about getting married so she could stay. No she didn't want benefits she wanted to work. They would stay in UK.
So They get married, and benefits are granted to them (full housing benefit for 1 bed house, council tax paid, working tax, child tax and child benefit) on top of his wages, then I'm told she gets around ??500 a month from her mother.
So I just say, make sure everyone knows so you don't get into trouble.
From then on she talks about how she misses home.
In the meantime I've pieced together that they came here, talked of getting married, got benefits and then seem to want to go home and seriously distanced myself from them. School breaks up, and they go on holiday. I think nothing just that they've gone on holiday. The day before the kids go back to school she texts to say she's not coming back till October, if ever but mentions she's fine cos the benefits are still going into her account and she is having fun whilst at home.

It made me so angry, she gets full tax credits for her daughter and child benefit and she's not even living here!!!! That money isn't to be spent living the life of Riley in another European country!

And the bloody husband! Now he's got himself moved up in the daughters bedroom, and he's got different women round every night, and loves to sit in the garden talking about how he pays no rent cos housing benefit despite him working!

When we live in the same area and there's us, we both work, I'm disabled so I can't do too much, but we're both in work and were struggling to pay bills without the benefits that they get- and they're bloody better off than we are!!

I called the benefit fraud hotline, cos its not bloody right. Now I feel really guilty.

OP posts:
duckyneedsaclean · 09/09/2015 13:47

I know what you mean about feeling guilty, I've been thinking about shopping in my neighbour but feel too guilty to.

Which is stupid, but I'd feel responsible for any trouble she got into. Which yes, is stupid.

WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant · 09/09/2015 13:47

Breathe!

If you have called them and given them information, it's up to them to sort it out now.

ilovesooty · 09/09/2015 13:50

Is the sudden increase of alleged benefit fraud threads linked to some kind of new programme on TV by any chance?

TenForward82 · 09/09/2015 13:52

You did the right thing. I want my tax money going towards people you need help, not people who think the world owes them a living.

Original poster
Unreasonablebetty · 09/09/2015 13:54

Exactly!
I feel like it's my fault if they get into trouble.... But they knew what they were playing at. My husband even seems to think that it was all staged, the wedding, everything.

OP posts:
Original poster
Unreasonablebetty · 09/09/2015 13:55

Yes, you are right.

OP posts:
Original poster
Unreasonablebetty · 09/09/2015 14:07

Um, I think that there's always something on telly about people on benefits, channel 4 loves to sensationalise around the benefits system, but this isn't because of television, this is because myself and my husband work hard, we have a daughter who is the same age as theirs, and we are very proud to call this country our birth place and home, be taken advantage of. How is it fair that they came here, filled out a few forms and with one of them working 30 hours a week gained a better lifestyle than we have working a bombined 60 hours per week?- but that isn't my real issue.
but my real issue isn't that. It's the fact that they're both raking it in, whilst good old Britain foots the bill.

Grtd my goat that he doesn't need to pay rent because the taxpayer is paying them housing benefit to allow a house big enough for them to live in as a family, and he decided on a 1 bedroom instead of 2 cos he didn't have to pay extra, now his daughters gone he's got a house for free.
Angry

OP posts:
HedgehogAtHome · 09/09/2015 14:25

Grtd my goat

Op mentioned the goat first. Surely this ticks some amazing box on MN benefit bingo somewhere?

ilovesooty · 09/09/2015 14:27

If you have solid grounds for suspecting a marriage of convenience that's a separate issue.

This just sounds like jealous immigrant bashing to me.

ExitPursuedByABear · 09/09/2015 14:29

I have a nny goat. Would Grtd like to meet her?

SlowlyGoingINSAINIA · 09/09/2015 14:31

Are you the banned op from last night's 'limpy old man' thread? Biscuit

Original poster
Unreasonablebetty · 09/09/2015 14:38

Limpy old man? Lol, no but it sounds intriguing!

OP posts:
DonkeyOaty · 09/09/2015 14:41

There are reciprocal arrangements for EU citizens. But anyway. Ring the hot line and have a cup of tea hun.

Original poster
Unreasonablebetty · 09/09/2015 14:41

It's not jealous immigrant bashing AT ALL, sorry if it reads that way, but the British benefits should not be for those who come here to get them to also have them when they decide they are going home too.
For your information, there's a woman around here from Ghana, I find it the saddest thing that she struggles along here, without benefits though if she were born here she would receive handfuls of help... So no, it isn't immigrant bashing at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
Unreasonablebetty · 09/09/2015 14:52

Lol, I'm sure grtd goat would love to meet nny goat if grtd was an actual goat, not spelling mistake for gets (yes I'm really that dopey)

And Oaty- that's what I wondered. I didn't want to cause trouble if it's something that they were entitled to, but i remember her saying in Portugal they weren't entitled to anything, and within 2 months of being given these benefits they've gone home.

But I'm off to find this lumpy old man thread, I'm intrigued now.

Honestly I'm not a jealous immigrant basher, I think everyone's entitled to live to a decent standard in the world, but it should only be at britains expense in certain situations, not even British people should be entitled to benefits unless they are really needed.... And say it were a British family who's husband was here claiming hb for the house whilst the Mrs was saying she was staying in Costa del with her kids and enjoying spending benefit money and wasn't sure she was coming back, I'd call the fraud hotline on her too.

OP posts:
thecatsarecrazy · 09/09/2015 16:09

You did right imo.
I work 8 hours a week, my dh is in a 0 hour contract. We get working tax, child tax and child benefit. We are lucky that our rent isn't to bad but our jobs are half an hour away so have to pay for petrol and bus fares. We don't get any housing benefit and cant afford holidays or nights out. The summer holidays were cheap days out like walks with a picnic or a petting zoo.

Last week someone I work with told everyone he was handing in his notice because he had his benefits stopped when he started working. I'm not a benefit basher I have used them before but only until we have sorted ourselves out and got back on track.

Patapouf · 09/09/2015 16:29

If someone is fraudulently claiming benefits, they will eventually be caught doing so.

If someone is claiming benefits that they are entitled to under our system , it makes fuck all difference to me whether that person is British or not.

Being British is nothing special, and you didn't do something majestic to be born here, it's just luck. As far as I'm concerned, a British citizen is no more deserving than someone from Portugal etc.
to preempt an argument someone who disagrees with me may put forward: your parents paying in to the system, your grandparents paying in, doesn't entitle you to anything. You don't pay in to take out.

Ultimately OP, what difference does it make to you? If they don't claim, you won't get anything more will you?
Anyway, you helped them fill in the bloody forms.

wasonthelist · 09/09/2015 16:32

My ex BIL was grassed up as he was working and claiming JSA (we 100% know this for certain) - nothing happened. He is a deadbeat tax-dodging scammer who even brags about it and no-one in authority is remotely interested.

TenForward82 · 09/09/2015 16:33

This just sounds like jealous immigrant bashing to me.

Oh, here we go Hmm

And patapouf OP clearly doesn't have an issue with 'foreigners' claiming benefits, as evidenced by the fact she - as you point out - helped them fill in the forms. She, like every other sensible person on the planet, is taking issue with someone claiming benefits who doesn't need them or isn't actually entitled to them. Is that really that hard to understand?

TwmSionCati · 09/09/2015 16:35

I must say I opened this thread thinking it would be the usual kind of thing about eg benefits and immigrants but to be honest this would grate with me too.
However it would probably be best just to leave it and grind your teeth a bit as you walk past their house.

specialsubject · 09/09/2015 16:40

if you are sure fraud is taking place, report.

would you not 'grass up' a burglar if your home was robbed?

KanyeWestPresidentForLife · 09/09/2015 16:43

Um, TBF, if I went on holiday and my husband had different women in my daughters bedroom every night I wouldn't be in a mad rush to come home either.

TwmSionCati · 09/09/2015 16:43

burglary and benefit fraud are not really comparable specialsubject surely?

specialsubject · 09/09/2015 18:13

no, burglary is personally nastier (Been there) but they are both theft and thieves need to be dealt with.

'don't sneak' belongs in the playground.

ghostyslovesheep · 09/09/2015 18:18

so he works - they claim the benefits they are legally entitled to - she's gone on an extended holiday - I'm not catching the illegality bit

oh an no one gets 'full' housing benefit etc - ditto Council Tax