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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

..to ask if this is Benefit Fraud?

68 replies

Iloveidris · 04/01/2018 21:44

Long time poster, name changed for this.

In a nutshell, a male family member of mine has a 3 year old son with his girlfriend. She has her own house (council) and claims as a single parent as they split up for nearly a year.

They are now back together. Hes staying over hers quite a bit (4/5 nights a week), got clothes there and is hardly at his parents house anymore.

I said he would now have to declare that hes practically living there as shes claiming to be an unemployed single parent getting all the benefits and they could get into trouble.

He said he wont have to, as his job means he can work away at times (certain projects for say 3/4 weeks at a time) and he just comes home on weekends.

Surely, as I said to him, he can't earn 2k a month, be paying towards her bills etc, giving her money and all the while she gets housing benefit, income support, free prescriptions and so on? He says he can as long as hes not staying over more than 2 nights a week.

Don't want him or her to get into trouble, and at the same time, scam the system. Ive tried looking this up but no straight answers.

Is there anyone who can shed light on this?

OP posts:

movinonup · 04/01/2018 22:19

What is the 'living together test'? I was told by someone at UC that as long as my BF in no way financially contributed towards my household that he could stay over as much as we wanted.......Bit concerned now TBH (Sorry for jumping on your thread OP)

Llangollen · 04/01/2018 22:19

It's easy, just report. Why wouldn't you?

If you are completely wrong, nothing will happen to them.

Original poster

Iloveidris · 04/01/2018 22:20

LOL. I just wanted to know the facts for his benefit!

Well whos benefit would i be doing it for
Im close to this family member and wouldnt want him or his gf dragged to court.
I dont know why people think im out to get them! If i did, i wouldnt have asked and just reported them

OP posts:

Cindie943811A · 04/01/2018 22:21

Doesn’t a everyone in receipt of a benefit have to disclose any change in circumstances?

Original poster

Iloveidris · 04/01/2018 22:22

Movinonup- that info sounds right but say if someone did report you, how would u be able to prove that your DP doesnt contribute financially? Its a bit all up in the air isnt it.
I know a friend of mine got caught out cos her numpty of an ex took out quick quid loans in her address

OP posts:

LemonysSnicket · 04/01/2018 22:25

If he’s not paying the mortgage or bills etc and has another address then it’s not fraud.

gamerchick · 04/01/2018 22:25

It’s a myth about the certain number of nights spent there.

As long as he’s not financially linked to that address in any way and has an address where all his bills and whatnot are registered he’s fine. He can pay maintenance and it won’t affect her benefits.

If he is financially linked in anyway then he’ll be found out.

movinonup · 04/01/2018 22:30

I think I'd be able to prove it, certainly hope I would anyway!

All bills are paid from my bank account, All groceries bought on my card etc........Far too soon to consider living together etc

But anyway, Back to your situation.......the GF would be the one in trouble here if proof exists of him paying gas/electric/groceries etc, Not a risk worth taking.
(a friend of mine actually ended up in jail for 6 months for being in this situation, He'd moved out, She claimed as a single mother, They got back together but she thought she'd hold off on declaring this as she wasn't sure how it was going to go/if it would last.)

MakeMeAFloozy · 04/01/2018 22:33

His argument is severely flawed. My husband stays away most of the week and is only home 3 nights per week. Even if he stayed home for fewer nights for work projects that doesn't mean i can claim stuff.
Fraud would just investigate and decide on a case by case basis. It's their job to investigate and decide . They do let people off if appropriate.

bestthings · 04/01/2018 22:34

How can you be sure they'll end up getting in trouble. The government presume someone will turn them in, but not everyone would be willing to do this. The government encourage us to shop a benefit cheat, confident in the knowledge that the poor love to turn on the poor. Different though when the MPs were at it, with their outrageous fraudulent expences claims.

Rumpledfaceskin · 04/01/2018 22:36

I know people who have done this for years. Not great morally if one half of the couple is actually earning well but in truth they will not be investigated unless someone were to report concerns and as long as he is not registered at her address they will get away with it.

chandlersfraud · 04/01/2018 22:37

I don't think it's clear cut because maintenance is not counted as income for benefit entitlement so it could be argued his contributions are maintenance.

It's whether they're cohabiting or not and I don't work in the system but imagine that 'number of nights per week' there is just one of many factors that are taken into account.

As it's not clear cut I would butt out beyond suggesting to him they could get into trouble if they're not up front about it.

KarmaStar · 04/01/2018 22:37

Hi OP
Yes this is fraud and they could end up in prison the longer it goes on(because the amount of money they are taking is increasing monthly).
Most offenders are found out because neighbours and people who they know report them.
You must tell her to stop claiming now.easier said than done I know,but she will get caught if she doesn't,it may already be too late.
Maybe if you tell her she could face prison it might make her listen?
Good luck

NC4now · 04/01/2018 22:38

They can always ring up, explain their situation and check their eligibility. I claimed as a single parent before I was married and during the in between stage they cleared up when I could claim and at what point I would have to stop my claim.
If they are worried, that would be the safest thing to do.

bestthings · 04/01/2018 22:40

It's easy, just report. Why wouldn't you?

If you are completely wrong, nothing will happen to them.
As far as i know that isn't true. Benefits are often stopped immediately regardless of whether or not there's any truth in the allegations.

FrivolouslyFancifulFannie · 04/01/2018 22:43

i know someone who was watched for months, was took in for a random interview asked if there were any changes and she said no, they then watched her for months again, she got charged, she did avoid jail but she now has to pay it all back which is took as deductions and was put on probation with a tag

She will be getting a single person discount on her council tax i would assume so if he is living there then that is a change of circumstances she would need to report. There are so many ways now, data matching was how the person i know was caught.

I would tell her if she is doing it there is a good chance she could get caught and if she is the consequences are severe for her, nothing will happen to her DP.

RogueBiscuit · 04/01/2018 22:44

It's easy, just report. Why wouldn't you?

If you are completely wrong, nothing will happen to them.

That's not true at all. My sister was investigated for benefit fraud. I wouldn't call losing your home and being under incredible stress for over a year nothing.

Allthewaves · 04/01/2018 22:45

If he has a separate address he can. I know couple who's husband in,y comes home weekends but has his address as his mum so his wife claims as a single parent

Rumpledfaceskin · 04/01/2018 22:49

Yes be warned if you report them they will most likely stop benefits straight away whilst they investigate. Personally OP I’d warn them to be careful but ultimately mind my own.

MammaTJ · 04/01/2018 22:51

It just doesn't sound legit. If it isnt, they both could be in court

WRONG!! They will not both end up in court. Only she will, as the claimant!

He will not!

Theimpossiblegirl · 04/01/2018 22:51

I personally would not report her, she could be in real trouble and as far as you know, they are doing nothing illegal.

Her benefits would be stopped at once, possibly forcing her and her child into poverty and even to losing their home. If he's been flakey in the past, maybe she's just biding her time to make sure it's going to work out before moving him back in.

The current system is very much stop all money first, ask questions later. Could you live with the consequences? I couldn't.

If you are genuinely concerned, have a quiet word warning them that someone may report them, but really, leave it there.

Rumpledfaceskin · 04/01/2018 22:52

Allthewaves how can they do that if they’re married? Only curious as my dh only comes home at weekends but as were married It wouldn’t have ever occurred to me that I could claim any single parent benefits?!

missymayhemsmum · 04/01/2018 22:54

If they are living permanently together as a couple she has to stop claiming.
So how do a couple try to rebuild their relationship after a breakup and see if they can live together as a family with their child? Presumably neither of them are ready to make that commitment, so he's paying maintenance and they are spending time together.
Yanbu but should mind your own business and see what happens. If it becomes clear that it's a permanent arrangement then yes she's committing benefit fraud. But it might mean that unless she gets a job their joint finances won't stack up so they can't afford to get 'properly' back together yet.

Eltonjohnssyrup · 04/01/2018 22:55

He said he wont have to, as his job means he can work away at times (certain projects for say 3/4 weeks at a time) and he just comes home on weekends.

This used to be absolutely endemic in the construction industry. They are really cracking down on it, I know two couples being prosecuted for this exact thing at the moment.

Seriously, warn them off. It's not really possible to get away with this anymore.

FrivolouslyFancifulFannie · 04/01/2018 22:59

person i know the benefits were not stopped, they let her claim for months til they had evidence but also interviewed her giving her an opportunity to change her claim, no idea what would have happened at that point if she had changed the claim as they already had been watching her and knew he lived there

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