To ask if you could stay friends with people committing benefit fraud/tax evasion?

[WanderingWildflower]

Out of curiosity. This situation really annoys me but equally they are nice people and it's none of my business.

So these friends of mine are a couple. She owns a house outright that was purchased using inheritance. They both live in it and have done for over a year. He has a mortgage on his own house, bought before they met, and rents it out to a mate.

She doesnt work (small kids) but claims UC, not declaring that her partner actually lives with her. Meanwhile his friend pays him his rent in cash.

So essentially they have fraudulently claimed UC, a full time wage plus untaxed rental income coming in and no housing costs.

I suppose with the cost of living crisis it gets to me a little that we are having to tighten out belts a lot while they live the high life tax free/fraudulently.

I'm not the sort to cut people out but I'm so ethically opposed to people who do this that it sort of makes me question our friendship.

Could you stay friends in this situation?

@InChocolateWeTrust from a logical point of view there will always be low earners. You think everyone can earn a high wage, how does that work economically?

*And yes, line parents can have it hard; I really wish people would delay having children until they had some savings behind them and were sure that their relationship was solid.

It’s heartbreaking to read posts of people in their early twenties on benefits, with multiple children and no job.*

The average age of a single parent is around 39 years; single mothers tend to be younger than single fathers on average (38 years compared with 45 years old, respectively)

55 per cent of single parent families have one child; 32.1 per cent have two children and 13 per cent have three or more children

Ah yes all those lone parents in their early 20s with multiple children....

@InChocolateWeTrust the OP is neither, if she was she wouldn't be asking the question about her FRIEND. Anyone who claims to be a friend and reports them for something like this is indeed a cunt. A green eyed cunt.

I don't understand the jealously comments though

I wouldn't be friends with them and would report them as I don't think it's just a few quid. Her single claim alone is around 12 thou a year which she isn't entitled to.

And I can’t have any sympathy that criminals are struggling.

It’s likely their propensity for crime is a major factor in their situation.

If you have evidence that Amazon are committing tax evasion you should report them.

It seems very unlikely, but if you do have evidence you should use it.

So if people don’t want to try then a bit of benefit fraud is OK?

I can’t agree with that.

I’m with St Paul and (I think) Marx on this “He who will not work, neither should he eat.”

I have a side hustle where I am frequently paid in cash. I declare every last penny of it. How would you know if I did or I didn't?!

Anyone can, not everyone. Most people don’t even try, it takes very little effort therefore to get the skills to move ahead of them.

Your attitude helps no-one, it tells people to not even bother.

I’m with St Paul and (I think) Marx on this “He who will not work, neither should he eat.”

You realise that there are people - and many of them - working incredibly hard in our country, today, who are struggling to eat?

@FemmeNatal i never once said it was ok, I can understand how it will happen though and I won't get worked up it as I believe it's far more complex than simply committing a crime for the sake of it.

No I couldn't stay friends with someone who took the biscuit of of the system. Its there to help people who need it and shouldn't be used to give people free cash when that's not the correct circumstances.

How do you know her claim is as a single person? (FYI, there are no longer rules about how often someone stays over at a property it's based on contributions to said household)
Also, how do you know the mate pays cash & it's not declared??

This. I never understand these posts.

My friendships wouldn't be based on how they conduct their financials, that would be their business.

I've not read the thread yet, but I'm shocked she's managed to get away with it for so long.

You should definitely not be friends with her anymore for her sake. If I ever felt so deeply unhappy, jealous and resentful about one of my friends I would cut all contact with them and work on improving my own life so I stopped feeling so bitter.

Oh OP, I just know that you've got a Ring Doorbell and you're on the PTA.

I don’t stay friends with anyone who chooses benefits as a lifestyle choice.

I wouldn’t end the friendship, but I would keep my distance. Mainly so I wouldn’t get wrapped up in the inevitable web of lies. If it was someone close to me I’d be worried.

Our non English neighbours are not married he works full time and she claims UC as a single parent one child a three year old. I know because she showed me the information from UC because they didn't understand it and he showed me his wage slip because he thought he paid too much tax. Had to try and explain she was not entitled to UC as they lived as a couple( lots of Google translate)
Not sure they understand really but I would not report them because I truly don't think they understand. We are still as friendly (as much as the language barrier allows)

My FIL has admitted to tax evasion, he works for a friend who pays him minimum wage then the rest of his 60k salary cash in hand, I try not to let it get to me, but it does rub me up the wrong way when he tries to plead poverty claiming we earn more than him as his wife doesn’t work (technically we do, but the difference is we pay tax on all of it). I don’t know if I would stay friends with someone who did this tbh.

@Govesdancingpartner Oh my goodness, not only are they 'non English' they are also UNMARRIED?!?

There was no need to be so rude. I was painting a picture of them. If you want to be nasty fine if it makes you happy so be it.