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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Benefit Fraud?

89 replies

DrumrollPlease · 08/04/2017 14:07

I have a disabled family member. She lives in a 3 bed home, which is filthy and a complete mess. She has carers who come in to cater to her basic needs, but they don't do the cleaning.

She also has 2 adult children who live with her (in their 30's). Neither of them pay rent or council tax, and one is a high earner (well over 50k) - this one has just moved back in, but is not officially registered as living there. The other uses her Motability car to go to work.

Now as she has housing benefit, PIP etc. Is this fraud? Should they be allowed to get away just 'sponging' off of her? They literally do nothing for her. I am tired on her behalf of seeing her confined to her room on a beautiful day like today, while the house is in squalor yet again only a few days after I helped to clean it. They never clean or help, and she is miserable, but seems to put up with it because they are her 'children'.

OP posts:
RogueBiscuit · 08/04/2017 14:33

There's no benefit fraud going on, she is allowed to have people live with her, and they're not required to pay rent or council tax as its already covered.

I'm not sure about the mobility car though.

nonameinspiration · 08/04/2017 14:37

No idea about benefit but her kids sound like knobs.

Babyroobs · 08/04/2017 14:44

I think if she is claiming benefits on the basis of living alone such as severe disability premium then she would need to notify the DWP of this as she may lose that premium.
She needs to notify the council that she now has non dependents living with her . Her council tax may go up because of this.

Babyroobs · 08/04/2017 14:47

Sorry should have explained better. Severe disability premium is a premium that some disabled people claim if they liva alone and no-one claims carers allowance for them. if the children have recently moved back and she is getting this premium then she needs to let the DWP know.
The council need to know about non- depndents moving in as it may affect council tax and housing benefit.

Cocklodger · 08/04/2017 14:48

Be aware that IF (I'm unsure personally) it is fraud it will be her that sees punishment for it not her kids.

Babyroobs · 08/04/2017 14:49

PIP is a non means tested benefit and will not be affected by other living there.

Rossigigi · 08/04/2017 14:50

PIP isn't included

NotStoppedAllDay · 08/04/2017 14:50

Of course it's fraud!

Why should housing benefit cover the rent/c tax when there are people living there who should be contributing!!

Winniethepooer · 08/04/2017 14:51

She won't be entitled to full housing benefit & Council Tax if her dc are living with her.

Why exactly have you posted?

giggly · 08/04/2017 14:54

It is fraudulent use of the car. I have reported people before as it makes a mockery of the system.
You can only use another persons mobility car as a named driver solely for the benefit of the disabled person. ie going g to the shops for them. Of course they will know this but taking the piss. Exactly the same as mobile people using a relatives blue badge for themselves. But seeing as we live in an entitled world now knows like this exist every. Particularly my local Asda. Oh I laugh as someone runs to the shop having used a blue badge.

TabascoToastie · 08/04/2017 14:57

Oh I laugh as someone runs to the shop having used a blue badge.

Plenty of forms of disability don't involve mobility problems. Google "invisible disability."

Cocklodger · 08/04/2017 14:58

giggly I have a blue badge. My legs work just fine.
Biscuit

Alfieisnoisy · 08/04/2017 15:01

She is allowed to give use of the car to other family members providing they also use the vehicle to take her to appointments and shopping etc. Her daughter can also use it to travel to work if the money coming in helps support the family.

The issue is with housing benefit because if one of the household members is getting a huge amount in wages there is unlikely to be an entitlement to housing benefit.

Do you know that she is definitely getting housing benefit though?

Alfieisnoisy · 08/04/2017 15:02

My son is entitled to a Blue Badge although we don't have one. He can also run to shops and skip and jump ...he's autistic. Invisible disabilities are just that...invisible.

giggly · 08/04/2017 15:03

Not looking for a bun fight and as dh and myself are disabled however I am talking about the piss takers that I see on a very regular basis sprinting to the shop or cashline who do not need to use a parking space that enables disabled people to be nearer a stores entrance Thanks for the Google tip really don't think I need it😉

Iloveantiques · 08/04/2017 15:09

As the tenant who claims housing benefit for the rent is in receipt of PIP, there is NO deduction from her benefit for having other working adults in the household. The receipt of PIP removes all non dependent deductions that would otherwise be made for working adults.

Not fraudulent at all I promise.

RogueBiscuit · 08/04/2017 15:10

The council need to know about non- depndents moving in as it may affect council tax and housing benefit

Households that claim pip are exempt from non dependant deductions.

muckypup73 · 08/04/2017 15:17

Your poor relative. As if its not bad enough having a disability, but having a family member thats prepared to grass you up? espcially when they are not committing fraud is not good.

Branleuse · 08/04/2017 15:20

god i really hate seeing families prepared tograss each other up. Its like something from 1984

TheFirstMrsDV · 08/04/2017 15:23

giggly that isn't true.
Are you suggesting that families get TWO cars so the motobility car is left on the drive when the non disabled member has to go to the shops or take the kids to a club or they need to go out socially?
Disabled people are not just lumps who sit their waiting to be cared for.
They can be a part of a functioning family too you know Hmm

How does me using my OH's car to go to Sainbury's make a mockery of the system?

TheFirstMrsDV · 08/04/2017 15:25

It certainly is NOT exactly the same as using someone's blue badge.

MycatsaPirate · 08/04/2017 15:32

I have my own car but it's tax exempt as I have a blue badge. So although not a motability car it is for my use and I have bought a parking permit allowing me to park for free with use of the badge in my town.

Dp also uses my car. He doesn't use the permit or the blue badge but he still enjoys the use of my car to take the dc to activities or go shopping etc.

As for the housing benefit with PIP thing, that's slightly different. I don't think there are any exemptions for having earning adults in the house - they would be expected to contribute to the rent. Similarly there will be a single person discount on the council tax which will be affected if there are three people living there. It seems the benefits issues are the least of the concerns though as these two 'adults' seem to be taking advantage of this person.

Birdsgottaf1y · 08/04/2017 15:34

""Why should housing benefit cover the rent/c tax when there are people living there who should be contributing!!""

We don't know what the earnings of the DD is and as a disabled person, they are entitled to have someone full time/part time living with them. If that wasn't the case, then the Carers would have to go in more often and it would cost Social Care more than the disregarded amount.

The car can be for personal usage as well as for the Disabled person, or it wouldn't be workable.

OP, how is the house 'getting squalid', do the Adult children do it and leave it? Can you have a work with them?

Original poster
DrumrollPlease · 08/04/2017 15:37

My thinking is not to grass her up, but to find a way to get them to stop using her for their own gain, and at least help them to contribute - which is less of an incentive to sponge off of her. The higher earning child only moved back so they could live in a house rent free. Meanwhile she spends all day in her bed, unless I or someone else volunteers to take her out. It's a miserable life she has. I feel for her, but if it is all above board then I guess she will die in the same condition she is currently living in.

OP posts:
Tobolsk · 08/04/2017 15:38

I am going to ask a question and I am fully expecting to get shot down in flames.

If you have a invisible disability. Do you really need a blue badge? If you can walk across the car park then do you need to be close to it? Surly they are for physical disabilities where you can't walk far?

If I am missing something here please educate me

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