Benefit Fraud?

[DrumrollPlease]

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'.

SafeBet that's an American website. It has no legal basis in the UK.

custard exactly.
If families were expected to run a second car for things that are not strictly related to the disabled person it would pretty much cancel out the benefit of having the mobility car.

We are lucky enough to have two cars at the moment. I won't be able to replace mine when it goes. I use it because I prefer it but if I have to do a long journey or carry large items I am not going to take my little car or hire a van fgs.

I took our two youngest away in it last year. For a bit of respite for the three of us while the two disabled members stayed at home for four days.

I refuse to feel guilty about that or using it to go to ikea to pick a wardrobe that OH isn't going to use.

Common sense is needed not knee jerk nonsense.
To think the stuff on this thread is probably being said in RL too.
No wonder disabled people and their families have to put up with so much crap from jealous and nosy neighbours and family

In answer to the OP's dilemma.
If you are concerned about this family member why not contact Adult Services and express your worries that a vulnerable adult may be being financially abused?

What the hell good would it do to report her for benefit fraud if she has no control over what her kids do?

"SafeBet that's an American website. It has no legal basis in the UK."

Um, why would it need to? It's just a definition including some things that would be classed as invisible disabilities.

I'm not really sure why you're having such a hard time understanding that physical ability to walk doesn't always mean someone is always capable of walking by themselves.

Take autism, to qualify for a blue badge with autism, they must be unable/unsafe to walk alone without help for less than 50m... to qualify for the higher mobility payment of PIP.

Some people with autism are non verbal, unresponsive to verbal commands, unable to navigate, unable to understand traffic rules or road safety... (and/or have other issues that affect their ability to walk without someone actively caring for them at the time) they are physically capable of walking, but they're not safe without someone aiding them to do so.

That would mean they're eligible for the PIP payment, and they'd then be eligible for a blue badge...and it would be warranted, because the walking distance is going to be easier to navigate if it's shorter.

Grassing on family?? So when they are caught and facing paying it back, being taken to court and fined...... you'd be ok with that??

The longer it goes on the more they will dig themselves in trouble....

Re Motability Car use I have 4 DCs receiving high rate mobility, 2 use wheelchairs. We applied for a large car but they would only take 1 allowance (we had to put a massive deposit down) but we use it ,for all of them despite it being in just one DSs name and they are aware, no problem

Your wrong. Housing benefit is calculated using the income of all living at the property. It's fraud

No, it's not. There are NO deductions made when someone is claiming pip. It's been pointed out repeatedly.

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

If they are working full time it's surely common sense that they are not able to take her out during the day.

I was under the impression that if you had a motobility car,you lost all, or most of your PIP (formerly known as DLA). I am registered disabled and get PIP,and I receive a letter and a booklet about once a year telling me that in exchange for about three quarters of my PIP,I could have a motobility car (I don't drive so no point).

Janey it's just the mobility component that you have to give up

Trip Trap is right they take 57.40 a week.

Well said safebet
My oh has ms and uses his blue badge when he needs to. you wouldn't know by looking at him that walking from the car to the store where he can hold onto a trolley to help him round causes him pain and fatigue. On the outside he looks like a healthy young(ish) man but the really bad days far outweigh the bad days. he's spent an hour changing a tap washer this morning and made ds lunch while I took dd to visit my dad in hospital, and has now been in bed since 12 after getting up at 10 because those two hours of effort have wiped him out for the day. People need to have more empathy and understanding for hidden disabilities.

I was talking specifically about being unable to walk.
Those disabilities often come under the criteria for being "virtually unable to walk"

Kitkat28 there are plenty of uk sites citing the same. You can easily do a google search yourself if you really want to be well informed. Here's just one http://pf7d7vi404s1dxh27mla5569.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/library/brookes-NUJ-Hidden-disabilities-Report-plus-Lena.pdff* It's nothing to do with legal standing, not sure what you mean by that.

Fair enough SafeBet but if there are plenty of UK sites, why post a US one? And yes, I can google but I don't need educating about hidden disabilities thanks, I have some of my own.