Did I REALLY say anything wrong here?

[wheresAbobble]

I have a very close friend, she has just got back into work, she has 6 children and single so has been a struggle for her. We've just been chatting on the phone and she was talking about her new job (cleaning) which she does a few time a week, she said how she's getting an extra £80 a week on top of her benefits and how much it's helping her, I said it all makes a big difference etc etc.

She then says how she hasn't told the job centre that she's working cash in hand so getting all benefits still, I know it's none of my business but as we were talking about I said how she needs to tell them because if she gets found out she could be in the shit, all I said, and she tells me to fuck off and hangs up???

That's right, the stigmatisation is horrible
I hope your injuries healed quickly Not really and pleased to hear you're in a better situation now.

All l will say is that l'm currently on Jobseekers. l'm not working at all, l'm looking for a full time job. Because if l took a part time job, and stayed on benefits for every £20 l earned, they'd take £15 off my benefits. So unless l can get a decent full time job, l'm likely working two hours out of three for nothing. Especially when you factor in travelling, etc.
And l'm not lazy. l was in my last job for 28 years, when l first moved here l was working, but on a short term Christmas contract. Before the end of my contract l lost my 83 year old mother to suicide. Then last year l had two surgeries, one major, in five weeks. Back looking for work now, but at 59 l've had no success so far.
l'm not condoning what she's doing, but l can understand it. Living on benefits is very, very hard.

Fuckit2017 thank you exactly! Nobody ever thinks it will happen to them until it does.

Portia thank you, you too

I wouldn't tell, and she 100% (I should think) knows that I wouldn't. She's always saying how skint she is, so if it's helping then who am I to judge. I said about declaring it genuinely incase she ever got caught!

She said it was £10 an hour, and works 4 hours 4 times a week, so it would be more than £80 I've just realised!

She is pregnant too so I can't see her doing it for too long. I would never ring the Job centre but it does make me cringe the thought of her getting found out!

So she’s pregnant with her 7th child?

Yes, she's not with ex anymore, he was vile.

So she's working 16 hours so she could well be better off if she declared. Maybe send her links to benefits calculators eg entitledto has one.

Regarding benefit fraud v tax not paid - see attached pic!

Maybe Bono could chuck her a few bob.

Liney

She is pregnant too
Yes, she's not with ex anymore, he was vile

It took 6+1 children for her to figure that out

She is pregnant too
Yes, she's not with ex anymore, he was vile

It took 6+1 children for her to figure that out

6x child tax credit & CB and possible Income support or ESA or whatever shes claiming for herself. Then the £80 a week on top for the cleaning she hasn't told the jobcentre about.

I doubt she's in the same league as the struggling single mum with one kid trying to make ends meet on a 1/5th of such money.

No she won't , but six kids cost more than one.

Not necessarily.

you should have told her to stop breeding ffs

Really helpful that PidgeonSpray.

No choice words for the Father who didnt put anything on the end it it or did the woman in the OP have an immaculate conception?

Her body, her choice ^^

Orlando

But do carry on OP. 🍿

Could she not register as self employed and claim CTC and WTC?

yep burying head in sand she couldnt bear listening to herself admitting fraud however unfortunate the situation.

How can you be in the wrong for telling her the truth that she is doing something illegal.

Benefit fraud is stealing, theft is never acceptable. I couldn't be friends with a thief so would end the friendship and report.

Her situation was of her own making, nobody has to have children let alone six.

And I will repeat yet again....on some benefits such as income support and Carers Allowance you can earn up to £100 in a week and you don’t need to declare it.

I no longer get income support but I do get Carers Allowance. I also earn £100 a week on top. I am doing nothing illegal...least of all committing benefit fraud.

Some of you could do with updating yourselves in this regard.

You do need to declare it but it will be disregarded

Thank you abbiss, yes I wasn’t clear on that.

Telling some me they could get into trouble for doing something wrong cannot really be the wrong thing to do!

And it's the 6 children who will suffer if she's caught.

But I suspect she knows that and that's why she related the way she did.