Have you ever reported someone for benefit fraud?

[Wecandothisthing]

Just that really.

Also, if someone had been reported anonymously, would they know SOMEONE had reported them or do the DWP just say that they had investigated?

If the reported individual is told that SOMEONE has reported them, they may be able to narrow the suspects down easily, by who knows their financial situation or, worse still, may acuse family members who did not report them.

exactly Branleuse...

I've only known one person commit benefit fraud (a very close relative) I didn't report because the repercussions on my family if I reported would be violent and vicious.
She received a very very large inheritance, and keeps it in her son's name (he has the same initial) so she can continue to claim housing benefit.

I am very much in favour of benefits and would generally err on the side of caution when suggesting someone isn't entitled to them - we rarely know others true circumstances. But this person is seriously taking the piss.

Claiming benefits fraudulently is a crime against hard working tax payers who are funding it and those who brag about it should definitely be reported. The problem is they are never made to pay the full amount back by disposal of their assets to recoup the costs adequately.

I just find it incredible that normal working class people in varying states of being on their knees will still grass each other up. Its the worst aspect of modern society

That’s it, in a nutshell! I bet there are very few middle class people grassing up their mates for tax evasion, yet the working class are being encouraged to fight over scraps. George Orwell’s brave new world.

If they aren't doing anything wrong then nothing will happen. Innocent people don't panic

I agree up to a point, but things aren't helped by the foot dragging and general incompetence of the DWP, housing benefit offices, etc, while the enquiries are made. That can make the lives of possibly innocent people very unpleasant, which is why I'd only report if I was pretty darned sure of the facts

As for those who are obviously cheating but have "other things going on" ... sorry, but no. We all have difficulties from time to time and could probably invent a good sob story if we chose, but that doesn't make stealing right

Might be thinking too deep here but what im going to say could well happen.

Supposing I reported someone and they got their money stopped..No questions asked (because, Unlike sicko twatting paedos. Benefit claimants are guilty until proven innocent.)
The person took their own lives and the lives of their children. I don't think I'm.being OTT in saying that. You hear of these things happening.
I wouldn't want that on my conscience.
Don't get me wrong if it's someone with a boss job causing around in a conevertable living in a five bedroom house with a pool and electric gates going to the Seychelles and on a luxury cruise every year and
I knew for an absolute fact he is committing BF. Then Yes I might probably would report them. I mean that's a tad different to a single mum doing it because her child needs a new pair of shoes.

What SweetSummerchild said.

I bet there are very few middle class people grassing up their mates for tax evasion

According to some of the arguments on here, this would be just as ‘wrong’ as reporting someone for benefit fraud.

My dh reported someone once. They were on benefits, single mother but also working cash in hand in a chip shop, and a bar and selling stolen/fake goods as well. She was sanctioned, but still dodgy.

I was reported by my ex or his new girlfriend.
They stopped my money for 5 weeks, I had two children under 3 and was in the throws of being in hospital treated for HG. It was the most stressful thing ever and seeing as my ex doesn't pay money towards his child I cannot begin to understand why he'd leave his child with absolutely nothing.
Of course I was completely innocent but it wasn't worth the stress

I wish I had.

I knew someone (middle class btw) who intentionally encouraged her husband (self employed) to pretend he was earning very little (so paid no tax) so she could claim working tax credits (a significant amount at the time)and give up her job.

Their accountant told them to pack it in. I wish I had reported, she told everyone what she was doing because she was so ‘clever’.

grassing

lol what are you? 13 years old?

Violence? Abuse? I'd report like a shot.

Policing benefit policy voluntarily while the wealthy merrily decimate as much social/national assets as they fancy?
Come on.
Does anyone really believe that grassing up single Mothers (they never grass on heroic single dads) or bubbling on Horace because he has a mobility car and goes to Skegness, how does that help anything? Apart from extra deprivation.

Policing benefit policy voluntarily while the wealthy merrily decimate as much social/national assets as they fancy?

Welcome to the usual straw man. Next someone’s going to bring up Starbucks/Vodafone/Amazon...

So, what if the fraudulent claimant is also very wealthy and also evading tax?

Sounds a bit like Schrodinger’s fraudster...

" You are a dick "

ooh that's a good one! I don't think we should spend our time looking round the neighbourhood deciding who might be getting a bit too much, and " reporting " them.

Love, if you think that is normal or reasonable behaviour, I am certainly not the 'dick' here.

Not a strawman Summer if there is a requirement to save money then surely it'd make economic sense to gather the greatest amount to ease the problem?
It isn't about saving money though. Or morals.

If they aren't doing anything wrong then nothing will happen. Innocent people don't panic
Monies are stopped whilst investigations are ongoing. That means innocent people panic because they have fuck all money coming in.

I really have wanted to with a neighbour because I knew she was lying about a boyfriend living there. In the end I didn’t because her and the kids all had a shit enough life as it was. All her own doing I believe - and turns out she got found out anyway, owed £7k in unpaid rent to our landlord and was eventually evicted straight into a much nicer council property nearby. It made me annoyed because she had multiple live in boyfriends none of whom ever seemed to have a job and they all lived in complete squalor - yet she had lots of huge colourful tattoos all over her (can’t be cheap). I kind of just felt so sorry for her kids with her parenting choices I didn’t want to make it worse

PostivelyPerf: Brave New World is by Aldous Huxley, not George Orwell! I think you have it confused with 1984.

It's tricky. In principle I would. A few years ago we had a neighbor who was fiddling the system and bragged about it - declared herself as single, had a man living there. If mam had reported it says neighbor might turn on her, she had a reputation for being violent. One lovely old man nearby reported his neighbor too - the campaign of harassment at him by the woman and her friends was awful! I think a lot of people would report but are too scared to.

In principle though yes I would report provided I absolutely knew (eg bragging). Why should people pay info the system for others to abuse it? Those fiddling the system make it harder for genuine people to be believed. In practice I wouldn't risk myself ory familys safety.

It's mad on MN the amount of people who get all moral about NOT reporting/vilifying those who do. Madness! Yes OK Starbucks etc evading tax is wrong but fraud is wrong whatever form it takes. Saying 'it's only a few quid, leave it be' kind of misses the point! I find it hard to believe people think Like that. In rl - my friends, family, workmates - no one thinks Like that

I know various benefit cheats. I reported one many years ago who had 4 kids by 4 different dads. Her current partner was the dad of her youngest son who was eight years old, he had always lived with her since that child was born but she claimed as single and he ' officially' lived with his mum round the corner. and earning a good wage. If she had been genuinely struggling I might not have done it but she was getting CM from all 3 of the other dads. Not sure of what the outcome was but they now are married and are living legitimately.

I had a friend, many years ago who was a single parent. She declared her part time earnings from bar work but worked a few extra hours that she didn't declare...it was hardly anything and had she declared it she would have had the same amount deducted from her benefit, so working for nothing. If she hadn't agreed to the extra hours, she would have lost her job.
Someone reported her and she had her benefits stopped for weeks and was interviewed and made to feel like a career criminal!
The system punishes those most in need.
I couldn't report anyone unless they were blatantly living the life of Riley and flashing the cash!

It always amazes me how much people know about other people's financial affairs and have access to every detail on others bank accounts what people have claimed for and what they haven't and all sorts of personal information seems to be acquired by those who wish to share it on the internet