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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think reporting someone to dwp for going on holiday is ridiculous?

293 replies

CactusJelly00 · 10/03/2018 07:44

As it doesn't actually mean they're hiding income!
It's happened to someone I know; and she's now in the unfortunate situation of having some of her money stopped while everything is investigated and being treated like a criminal, as someone has reported her for having undeclared income.... because she went on holiday!
Aibu to think this is a ridiculous reason to report someone?
They know who's done it and why, but now she still has to prove herself to the DWP and I just think it's awful that someone's reported her for that.
Would anybody report someone for that? I just can't understand it.

OP posts:
Becca19962014 · 10/03/2018 10:44

You can't go on holiday if you're claiming universal credit and job seeking its not allowed. I don't know if it is for others claiming (there are so many rules) but the ability to go away in the uk for two weeks on JSA has gone. You've never been allowed to claim and go abroad on JSA.

expatinscotland · 10/03/2018 10:44

They stop you're money.

Becca19962014 · 10/03/2018 10:44

I'm still considered guilty despite proving my innocence!

Smellylittleorange · 10/03/2018 10:46

Ffs just mean just fucking mean

expatinscotland · 10/03/2018 10:47

your, sorry.

ClumsyFool · 10/03/2018 10:47

I have to be completely honest and say that even if I knew with 100% certainty that someone was committing benefit fraud I wouldn’t report it. There are far far bigger battles to fight in terms of lost resources as previously mentioned with big corporations etc.
I feel very fortunate to be in the position of not needing to claim benefits and could never begrudge children who probably go without many things getting the chance to go on a holiday. I would imagine that a lot of the time the parents have gone without things to be able to put a little aside to fund what realistically is usually a few days by the sea in a caravan rather than the fabled 2 weeks in Disneyland often quoted.

There will always be the minority who play the system as with anything, but to focus on those people does the rest a massive injustice.

mirime · 10/03/2018 10:48

How can people get so worked up about this, don't they have their own lives to lead?

No I would not report someone for going on holiday. I'd not report anyone unless I was 100% sure they were claiming fraudulently, and even then I'd turn a blind eye if it were a short term thing because they were having a really difficult time.

TheFirstMrsDV · 10/03/2018 10:49

You aren't suppose to go on holiday without informing the DWP when you are claiming benefits

That is not true.
Being on benefits is not the same as being on Tag.
You are not a criminal and you are not required to notify the authorities if you go on holiday.

Why on earth do you think that is the case?

Adnerb95 · 10/03/2018 10:50

Well said clumsy

👏🏼

purpleleotard · 10/03/2018 10:52

Benefit fraud is a bit like insurance fraud in that it is perceived as a victim less crime.
Except the people who pay are your fellow Brits. They are funding the fraudsters' illegal gains either through higher taxes for benefit or premiums for insurance.
I cannot see why I should pay for someone to live the easy life at my expense and then some MNers think this is OK.

AskBasil · 10/03/2018 10:55

It's more than ridiculous, it's mean, small minded and jealous.

There's a lot of those sort of people about.

Frequency · 10/03/2018 10:57

Someone reported me for working fraudulently while in receipt of unemployment benefits.

They spotted me working in a cafe, talking about possibly visiting Florida next year. The fraud investigators passed the report to the local council. They couldn't investigate me for defrauding JSA because I wasn't on JSA, I worked from home. This person assumed I was on unemployment benefits because they didn't see me leave the house to go to work. And I wasn't 'working' in a cafe as such, the owner is a family friend, I was helping him out in return for him helping me with my tax return. And my relative lives in Florida. I only had to pay for flights which she could get cheap because she was a travel rep.

I didn't go in the end anyway, I decided I couldn't afford spending money and didn't want to go to her with my hand out, expecting her to feed and entertain me and my children, so we put it off for a year or two until my business picked up.

People are odd and bitter. It's not my fault I have a relative in Florida and they don't. It's not my fault I created employment for myself after being unable to find a job and they didn't. Why should I be punished because they don't have the same as me?

Luckily, I over pay my rent because my housing benefit jumps up and down due to being self employed and the system not being set up to deal with fluctuating income, so the only effect it had was eating through the overpayments.

expatinscotland · 10/03/2018 10:57

'I cannot see why I should pay for someone to live the easy life at my expense and then some MNers think this is OK.'

Then you're also fine with paying tens of millions to the royal family who can well afford to keep themselves, corporations to skive out of paying tax, golden handshakes for directors who ripped tax payers off to the tune of tens of millions, etc etc . . .

AnimalDaze · 10/03/2018 10:57

So your friend had gone away for a week let’s say, that’s one week where she wasn’t available for work, which you can get sanctioned for.

Why do people see the word benefit and assume those in receipt are out of work? You do know JSA accounts for a tiny percentage of benefits. The vast majority of benefits are paid to working people, excluding pensions of course which account for the vast majority of benefit spending.

I hope your friend gets things sorted quickly OP, I can only assume the person who reported her is very unhappy in their own life. I pity anyone who lives with feelings of jealousy, such a waste of energy.

To think reporting someone to dwp for going on holiday is ridiculous?
itsonlysubterfuge · 10/03/2018 10:58

TheFirstMrsDV

It says so in your benefits letters. Going abroad on benefits .

iamthere123 · 10/03/2018 10:59

while they stay at home slogging the 9-5

Please tell me the job where I can earn enough to pay rent etc. and only work 9-5, 5 days a week! I work 7.30am until round about 9, 10 or 11 depending on how much I've got to do! Most weekends I work a full day - this weekend it will be both days!

Bluelady · 10/03/2018 11:00

With you all the way, Clumsy. The benefits sysrem is so bloody mean and draconian these days it makes my blood boil. I don't pay my taxes for people to be treated like shit. The government has literally billions of £s of unclaimed benefits.

DannyLaRuesBestFrock · 10/03/2018 11:00

I cannot see why I should pay for someone to live the easy life at my expense 😂😂😂

You think it's an 'easy life' on benefits ffs. I am fortunate in that I have never had to claim them and I am so thankful for that. But through work, I have encountered many people who do. And believe me, it is FAR from an easy life.

Again, I will ask, what do you think about the Royal Family?

I can actually predict that these morons who think they are paying for people to live the life of riley on benefits, fucking ADORE the royals and think they are a wonderful institution.

LakieLady · 10/03/2018 11:01

For out-of-work benefits, you aren't entitled to any money if you go abroad, because you can't take up a job if one becomes available. For ESA, you can only continue to get the money for 4 weeks, unless you're abroad getting medical treatment for yourself or a child. It seems fair enough to me.

Shopping someone is petty and mean-minded though. Far more people have their benefits stopped wrongly than claim them fraudulently.

DannyLaRuesBestFrock · 10/03/2018 11:01

I cannot see why I should pay for someone to live the easy life at my expense

Bold fail

Echobelly · 10/03/2018 11:01

It is plain nasty to shop someone unless you know they are actively taking the piss like claiming to be unable to walk and then going snowboarding or something (which, contrary to what papers would have you believe, is not common).

Generally we don't know the stories of people on benefits and if they can make it so, they are entitled to have holidays, nice cars, get tattoos, spend lots on their kids at Christmas etc (all things I've heard people criticise people on benefits for). They may have saved money up, they might have the nice car from before they were ill, they may have a friend who was able to take them on holiday or let them stay in their holiday home etc.

We have a dear family friend who we wanted to take on holiday with us, but she was terrified she'd be called for an assessment while away or have her benefits stopped for going on holiday with us. We managed to take her in the end, but she had to get past a lot of anxiety because of this nonsense.

acupofcocoainbed · 10/03/2018 11:02

I work 30 hours a week and claim benefits. Am I allowed a holiday? I do hope so because I have 3 or 4 a year.
Can't imagine being so bitter and petty minded to report someone for going away.
This idea that people on benefits should live in rags is frankly disgusting.

SusanneLinder · 10/03/2018 11:03

On DLA/ PIP, and HB you are allowed to go abroad for 4 weeks without reporting it. I really don't see an issue with it. Life for people with disabilities is usually pretty grim and I have no issue with anyone saving for a week in Spain or wherever. With cheap flights and Trivago type sites, its very possible for some to afford a cheap holiday. Or on Tax Credits/ UC if you are working, but depends on people's circumstances. I certainly don't know anyone that has all these mythical tax payer funded holidays to Florida! Most people I know on benefits live hand to mouth.
The JSA / UC for Jobseekers mostly stops people going on holiday because they have to fulfil their "claimant committment". Which of course can be done with net access anywhere.

TheFirstMrsDV · 10/03/2018 11:03

itsonly
Not everyone 'on benefits' is on out of work benefits
Not everyone who goes on holiday goes abroad

'Short absences for holidays abroad do not affect most benefits'

So saying you have to inform the DWP if you go on holiday is incorrect.

If you go on holiday whilst on UC or JSA you will be sanctioned if you don't attend interviews/appointments.
If you are on PIP/ESA get CTC you don't have to inform anyone you are going to Malaga for a week.

Becca19962014 · 10/03/2018 11:04

mrsdv because that's what it says in the paperwork you sign if you're claiming JSA. It says the same about starting a course and any work. It's because you're expected to be looking for work and available for work constantly and aren't if you are on holiday, although JSA allows for two weeks in the uk universal credit does not.

Other benefits, as far as I know don't.