Benefit fraud?

[helpnotsosure]

Ok so I have saw a lot of these posts lately so I'm sorry if you're sick of them but...

I have a friend who lives with her son, she claims benefits as a single parent and lives in a HA house. She has tried to get a job but no luck as of yet.

She has a partner (her sons father). He, however, doesn't live with her and lives with a family member instead. He was working until about a year ago when he was made redundant so now claims JSA. As far as I can see, it's also trying very hard for a job. He doesn't support his son financially as he receives little money.

They see each other everyday, spend a lot of time together etc.

Is she committing benefit fraud or not? She is claiming as a single parent though technically she isn't, but financially she is if that makes sense?

I don't think I could continue to be friends with someone who was knowingly cheating the system but I don't want to make any irrational decisions if I have my wires crossed. Thanks.

Since she is

Ignore "since she is" not sure why that's there

No if he isn’t contributing financially to her household she is doing nothing wrong.

She's not breaking any law or committing any fraud

They're not living together, they have seperate households and seperate finances, of course she can claim as a single person. Spending time together is irrelevant, they have a child together and it's probably good for him that they get along.

They are not doing anything remotely fraudulent.

You sound rather unpleasant.

Unless this is a reverse, in which case you are just dull and patronising.

If they aren't living together and he isn't helping financially why on earth would you think they were committing benefit fraud??!!

Nope. For benefit purposes you are a single person unless you are living with your partner: doesn’t matter how much time you spend together, how many kids you have together or whether you are “in a relationship”

Lone parent doesn’t mean no relationship, it means the claimant is living alone (with child/children) and not in a relationship with another adult who is financially contributing to the household. The situation you describe isn’t benefit fraud.

So if you are claiming single person benefits, you are not allowed to date anyone. Ever. FPMSL. Are you for real?

Just f off.
Sick to death of these snide bullying threads.
People need to mind their own bloody business.

Actually as the father he could be "contributing" financially in child maintenance and that would still not mean she was committing benefit fraud - child maintenance is disregarded for means tested benefits. As previously stated you can have a relationship, the key issue is if the father is living with them and has no other home - in this case it seems clear he is maintaining a separate residence. Hope that clears it up.