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

[CactusJelly00]

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.

Because, frankly, I am agog at the verbal incontinence of public sector workers described by their relatives on MN

This is going to come across way more offensive than it's meant to be but have you ever met a public sector worker involved in benefits?! They're not the brightest buttons in the box (generally — I am sure some are super bright and lovely but I've never met them)

Them breaking data protection laws and breaching their employment contract by blabbing to relatives about Mrs So And So and her twelve children claiming seven million pounds a year while she works cash in hand at a bakers on a Saturday afternoon, does not surprise me at all. The poor lambs probably don't realise it is a criminal offense and gross misconduct.

God, this makes me so angry. It serves the establishment to set the serfs off against each other so we don't realise that we're all been take for a giant ride. Look at the tax evaded by huge corporations, look at the billions owed to the government, the billions spend on illegal wars, the billions down the drain for over priced, poorly managed public projects, the billions in bribes to Saudi Arabia, look at the billions spent bailing out banks, rail companies, construction companies... on and on and on it goes.

Look, then, at the billions in unclaimed benefits.

What sad pathetic person has the time to begrudge a poor family a little trip abroad.

breaking confidentiality, data protection and safeguarding law/rules.

No, not if she didn't name or identify them.

I'm amazed there are so may 'experts' on here. Benefit fraud should be reported if it is known or suspected. It doesn't matter about tax evasion or the rich so stop trying to compare it.

in a similar vein Ive been astounded at the cheek if oeople when reading about fraud in the nhs. In a similar way I've flagged up patients who I suspect aren't entitled to NHS treatment (because they Have told me they live abroad and have popped back to see a relative so they could get X y and z fixed. ) what would you have me do? Not say anything?

Absolutely gin not identifiable, just general chat around the fact that people do try and fraudulently use services.

That relative who (allegedly) works for DWP who comes blabbing to the world and his husband about all the 'nasty little scroungers' claiming benefits, and all the terrible things that they do (you know like having a day trip or the occasional bottle of wine!) may not be breaking laws if she is naming no-one, but she is still a fucking twat for sneering at them, looking down on them, and telling tales about them to anyone who will listen.

Then again, a lot of people who work for DWP are fucking twats, in cushy jobs, sitting on their arses doing fuck-all half the day, judging people, and thinking nothing of doing stuff like bullying a 58 year old who has worked 42 years, into a job they are barely fit for, and can barely do, just because they are capable of wiping their own arse!

I'm actually amazed that anyone will try and steal, or take something that isn't theirs. So I guess my position is really? People do that? Not sneering, just surprise really. (I once lost a library book and it gave me sleepless nights...)

My friend on full benefits had a lovely holiday last year in a nice lodge with hot tub etc.

Thank God nobody was nasty enough to report her because it was all paid for by her ex MIL who is lovely enough to ensure her granddaughter has a holiday once a year...which means my friend (as mother of the granddaughter) gets to go too.

My friend also has severe disabilities which are not immediately obvious to people. So there may well be folk out there who think she is milking the system...she isn't.

I like to look for the good in people!

You can't avoid comparing tax evasion and benefit fraud, they amount to the same thing. Difference is the amount of money involved. I'd far rather the government put its energies into getting billions of unpaid tax out of multinationals than chasing some poor sod without a pot to piss in.

After working every day of my adult life, I found myself disabled and unemployed just over a year ago. I hate being on benefits, and other people’s attitudes towards it make me feel like utter shit a lot of the time.

Someone said to me the other day, with a tinkly little laugh (to obviously show she was “joking”) that they’re clearly paying me too much as I’m going on holiday twice this year. They are both Sun £9.50 holidays - one in the UK and one in Europe - and, including the ferry to the European one, have cost a total of £250. I don’t smoke, I rarely drink, and don’t have an expensive Sky tv package, so have saved to go away.

Another comment was made, by someone else, about the fact I have a cleaner come in for an hour a week (at a cost of £10), just to change two beds and do the little bits I just can’t reach or manage. Apparently this is something everyone wishes they could afford and I’m lucky the government pay me enough. It was a heart wrenching decision to get someone in as I hate hate hate not being able to cope, but I get PIP for daily living needs and intend to use it to make my life easier. Funnily enough, I don’t feel particularly “lucky” to be disabled enough that I can’t even change a fucking bed!

I had someone tell me that, as she sees me on the park a couple of times a week with my dog, that I’m obviously well enough to work if I can get out walking. The park is 200 yards from my house, I was sat on the first available bench, with my walking stick clearly visible and the reason she only sees me a couple of times a week is because many days I can’t bloody walk that far. I’ve cried over the fact my dog really doesn’t get walked enough, and have considered whether she would be better off with someone more able bodied, but she’s getting on a bit and seems happy enough, plus it forces me to try and get out when I can.

People are incredibly quick to judge and I feel like people who should know me better are scrutinising my every move. It’s demoralising enough having to claim benefits without having every little thing judged by some busybody.

Sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant, but it’s a sore point with me at the minute!

I’ve cried over the fact my dog really doesn’t get walked enough, and have considered whether she would be better off with someone more able bodied, but she’s getting on a bit and seems happy enough, plus it forces me to try and get out when I can

I'm able bodied with an elderly dog. If I walk him too much, he gets very ill. We stick to 10 minutes once a day and 3 longer thirty minute walks a week after he ended up in the vet from overdoing it once.

I'm not sure if that'll help you feel better or not but it seems to me you're doing the best by your dog and she is getting the right amount of exercise for her age.

I do think it's reasonable however for someone to have a holiday where ever they might like. Even abroad. Unions fought for holiday pay. And I think job seekers should be entitled to holiday pay too.

Frequency thank you. She’s senior, but still pretty active which is what makes me worry. I meet friends on the park whose dogs chase balls, so she will chase them a bit and friends will sometimes pick her up and take her for a longer walk. On days we don’t get out though, she just curls up and sleeps so I don’t think she minds too much. Breaks my heart to think that once she’s gone, I’m quite possibly going to have to be dogless though :( I have recently got hold of a mobility scooter so, if I can train her to stop trying to kill herself under the wheels/climb on my knee whilst I’m driving it, then we can venture out a bit more! Oh, and get over feeling stupid riding the damn thing

No, not if she didn't name or identify them

Wrong.
You don't have to name someone to break data protection/confidentiality.

If she discusses cases she is in breach.
If you want, we can find out.
Lets have her details, what she said and report her to the authorities on the off chance.
I am pretty sure she won't mind going through a lengthy investigation, possible suspension etc.

Ive posted about this before but I think I was wrongly reported for benefit fraud. I had a visit from an inspector checking my housing benefit claim. Except I had recently upped my hours at work and come off HB. They claimed it was a random check but their focus on why had I got more household income and was I definitely still single was suspicious. I wonder if they were looking for me having a partner and not declared it straight away or something. Because obviously a single mum can't self improve Nothing came of it and there was nothing to stop but it could have been horrendous.

Surely money from another source other than your benefits should be declared. I would say if a relative was funding your car, holidays etc then that is money from another source in much the same way as working on the side while claiming benefits so you can afford a car and a holiday.

'Surely money from another source other than your benefits should be declared. I would say if a relative was funding your car, holidays etc then that is money from another source in much the same way as working on the side while claiming benefits so you can afford a car and a holiday.'

Surely anyone with a modicum of intelligence realises that the money someone pays for a family to go on holiday is paid to the holiday providers (of lodging, transport, entry fees to attractions) and not the family's pocket so therefore is in no way the same as working on the side and earning a wage that is paid directly to oneself.

No details or particular cases discussed but in response to my comment "I don't think anyone would try and claim anything they aren't entitled to " I was told I was wrong and people did. I asked her about her work, in the same way you might ask a heart surgeon how he did various operations. The focus was on her work not on individual people.
I had thought that the tv programmes were a bit , well , made up. Perhaps they aren't.
Having said that, the fact people do try and get round the system leads to to think benefits are not enough to have a decent life.

I don't consider money from family to treat you to be a holiday as unearned income.

And then there are those pesky charities that offer holidays to families, some on benefits ! The lodging is run by the charity, the charity sends the family train tickets they paid the rail company for, often fills the lodging with food they paid ASDA or Tesco for. They get tax relief because they are a charity, the service is in no way akin to earning a wage for those they extend their services to.

Surely money from another source other than your benefits should be declared. I would say if a relative was funding your car, holidays etc then that is money from another source in much the same way as working on the side while claiming benefits so you can afford a car and a holiday

Yes. We should go back to the days when Means Testing meant a man coming to your house and counting your chairs. 4 people and 5 chairs? No welfare till you have sold that chair and spent the proceeds.

Surely if benefit claimants are required to declare gifts from family people who work should do the same?
If your mum pays for your wedding you should declare that to the tax man in the same way you would declare 15k from a second job.

Otherwise its fraud isn't it?

I'm asking this honestly without any intentions of being goady but out of curiosity.

Those who say they would never report - where do you draw the line? If you thought someone was committing any other type of crime would you report or not?

Surely money from another source other than your benefits should be declared. I would say if a relative was funding your car, holidays etc then that is money from another source in much the same way as working on the side while claiming benefits so you can afford a car and a holiday.

How would you police that and how far do you take it? If I offer a college mate a fag, does she have to declare it to the DWP and accept a 40p reduction in her benefits? What if I buy her a coffee?

Should she only declare it if I buy her a coffee, a muffin and give her fag every day for a week? Should people declare birthday and Christmas gifts? What if the holiday or car is a birthday gift?