AIBU to think my friend, and people in a similar situation should pay some of their benefits back?

[SortedSue]

I’m not jealous, I’ve got a good job and money which I’ve worked for.

I’ve know someone who has been working part-time through choice and playing the system, who has inherited a lot of money.

She’s not broken the law, she’s told the DHSS and signed off. She’s bought a house outright, paid her pension contributions up to date, and made some investments to give herself an income. But she’s stopped working completely so she’ll never pay tax and put anything back.

And I think that’s fucking wrong.

Mind your own business!

So no income tax, no VAT?
No money back, no guarantee?

This is going to be an unpopular opinion but if those facts are correct then I agree with you OP.

No, she claimed benefits when she needed them, now she doesn't she stopped immediately. That's how they're supposed to be used.

No, not jealous at all

Don't tell me you wouldn't like someone to give you a chunk of change like that? I bloody would!

Presumably the money inherited would have been subject to inheritance tax if it was a large sum?

Actually she'll be paying tax on the income from the investments.

But lots of people will never 'pay back' their benefits. And how do you work it out? It sounds like she has been sensible with the money to ensure she doesn't need help again instead of spanking it up the wall.

She must have claimed in 1988, The Department for Health and Social Security?

i would wind my neck in if i were you to be honest. If you really arent jealous and are happy with your own life why should you be bothered? You say shes not broken the law... so essentially shes just made as much money as she can without working very much. Her choice. You say you are angry that shes not going to be providing benefits to anyone else thru paying her tax... but here you are getting really resentful that she has not worked hard enough for her money in your view.
You both sound like pretty shoddy people.

No inheritance tax, her parents aren’t in the UK.

Where exactly should she pay it back to ?

Also by pension credits do you mean state pension ? If so that that is paid via national insurance which funds benefits too.

You sound jealous and you should mind your own business

Yeah, you don't sound jealous at all . . . said no one ever.

'A friend's good fortune is a blessing.'

She's been working, I assume claiming the tax credits she is completely entitled too and has now inherited enough money to never work again - so will have paid a chunk of inheritance tax on that. She will have paid stamp duty, she pays VAT on her purchases, pays her council tax, depending on the size of the investments will pay capital gains tax down the line maybe (although I don't really understand how that works), she'll pay car tax, tax when she flies, tax on her fuel.
What exactly are you expecting her to pay back and why?

Of course she’ll pay tax. She’ll pay tax on her investment income.

Is the key here that pre inheritance she was 'playing the system' - by which I assume you mean working things so that she got maximum benefits by doing little paid work, when she could have earned more?

absolutely none of your fucking business.

The job would be better going to someone that actually needs the money

Can’t you just be happy a friend has had some good fortune.

Sounds sensible enough that she’s signed off/ paid her pension pot.

People don’t get benefits on the condition they’ll work again & pay into the public purse again.

People get benefits cause they need them & there’s one less now.

VAT on the goods she buys, SDLT on the house she's bought, IT on the income from the investments, CGT if she sells any of the investments, IHT on her estate when she dies.

Admittedly a bit of careful planning would get you round some of that but the point still stands.

How do you pay it back? Do you write a cheque to “the dole” and stick it in a post box?

well she will pay income tax if her income is high enough
she will pay VAT on everything she practically buys
depending on the cost of the house she may have paid stamp duty

OP comparison is the thief of joy. You sound a bit mean and spiteful.

I get It, sometimes someone else's good fortune stings and you feel a pang. But to let it bother you so much doesn't seem right. Saying she was playing the system, she made a choice. You can too.

How could she pay it back - even if she wanted to. Who would she pay?

‘Playing the system?’

She claimed benefits when she needed them and has now stopped. Who do you suggest she pays the money to?

If your life is so perfect.

Why are so bothered.