To contemplate reporting someone for possible benefit fraud? WWYD?

[WWYDhey]

So there’s this girl I know. Not a close friend but someone I know and would say hi to in the street. We are Facebook friends. I know a bit about her through mutual friends.

She is claiming as a single parent of two kids but her boyfriend lives with her. Full time. They have actually just become engaged and she is pregnant. He has 3 kids to someone else with which he sees 2 of them every other week.

He is ‘unemployed’ but I believe he works full time for cash in hand. (Some kind of joinery or building work)

What has made me consider reporting her (if that’s something you can even do??) is that she spends all her ‘free’ money on weekly hair up appointments, professional make up done. New nails etc (we all know this as she documents everything on Facebook) always out at restaurants and nights out. Almost like she is bragging.
Doesn’t look like she spends much on her kids. They always look a bit scruffy and bored in her photos. (Think tops that look too small or worn out)

And now that she’s pregnant she’s uploading loads of expensive purchases for the baby (ted baker everything, massive pram ordained in Jewell’s)

Now I know some of the replies I will get here will be along the lines of ‘what’s it got to do with you how she spends her money’

• well yes it has nothing to do with me but it is really irritating that I work full time with kids and pay a lot in tax and have to scrimp and save. I don’t get all of the luxuries she does. Yet ina round about way I contribute to it.
  

‘How do you know she’s on benefits’ our mutual friend knows she is for certain. Plus she works 18 hours per week in a cafe so it’s not rocket science.

So would you report someone claiming as a single parent when she isn’t?

YABU- Dont report her and don’t give it another thought

YANBU- Do report her

If so how would you report anonymously?

[WhoKnewBeefStew]

bluebelle7 friend isn't cheating the system tho by claiming, she's claiming what she's entitled to.

As for the poster that said Even if she's cheating the system it's a victimless crime. More benefits go unclaimed each year than are cheated from the system. Who are you actually helping by sticking your oar in. It's not a victimless crime at all. I work hard for my wages (as do many many others) and I also see my tax being deducted from my salary. Some of that money being taken away, is being given to her under false pretences, so she can swan off to Disneyland! I can't afford to take my kids to Disney. Maybe if she, and other fraudsters, didn't get away with benefit fraud I'd not pay so much tax and i'd be able to take my kids on a fancy holiday

[WhoKnewBeefStew]

@mumsie2019 so you'd be happy to hand over your hard earned cash to her so she can afford a night out? You and your kids can go without, so she can take her kids to Disney? That's good of you? Maybe you can throw some my way to cover the tax that comes out of my wages?

This isn't about parents not having a night out! Of course we should all have nights out now and again! But not at the expense of others. Which is exactly what the sister is doing.. she's taking money either off people paying tax, or people who genuinely need benefits. Bollocks to this 'don't put stick your oar in' absolutely do so! If you saw someone stealing an NSPCC charity tin, would you think 'Ohhh don't stick your oar in, maybe the person who took it needs a night out'

[blubelle7]

Sorry @sleepyblueocean it must be ESA then, I thought friend mentioned PIP when she was expressing her disbelief.

@WhoKnewBeefStew I know he is not playing the system, that was in response to Graphista's post about assessors harshly judging genuine claimants on superficial things such as being well groomed, knowing how to make a cup of coffee and then concluding they dont need help as look too "rich" or are capable of work when they are obviously not.

[Lizzie0869]

@blubelle7 You're so right. My DB has to go through so many hoops to get the PIP he was entitled to. He was turned down the first time and, if my DM hadn't been fighting his corner, he would never have managed to overturn that decision. Thankfully the appeal was successful.

He has serious MH issues and was diagnosed as autistic a year ago. (I believe he also has PTSD, like my DSis and I have.) There's no way he could ever get a paid job let alone cope if he had one. He hasn't had any form of paid work in nearly 30 years, and he's 52 now.

There's something very wrong with the system. Okay, benefit fraud is an offence, no one is claiming otherwise, but there are far bigger problems with the benefits system that need addressing.