Is this benefit fraud?

[ahzixy]

I recently have gotten back together with the father of my kids. We've been seeing each other and he's been staying over at my house. I claim housing benefit.

He doesn't pay towards any of my bills and I don't to his either.

We've always had an agreement between the two of us that he pays £200 per month in child maintenance. That is all he pays to me. In times I have borrowed money like small amounts( but I also do this with my mum and that doesn't tie us financially)

His car is registered at his house, all his bills etc, his work has him as registered at his house.

My name is on my wifi bill, phone bill and I have pre paid metres under my name.

He pays all his council tax etc and gas and electricity which in his one bed flat cost £70 combined but he's paying of a huge debt so he pays £300-400 a month to that.

Things like days out etc or new things for the kids we do go half.

I've also gotten him things through catalog credit like very and Argos since his credit is bad so every other month he will bank transfer money for that but he labels each transfer (I know that doesn't hold much)

We have 3 kids together and he is over often and on his days off takes the kids to and from school.

My close friends would say we are seeing each other but neighbours I exchange polite exchanges would say we are a couple.

I know it's nothing to do with nights spent here it's about finances. I have a lot of proof he pays nothing to my house.

The only thing is I use his Netflix. But before this I used my best friends nextflix too I only changed to his to not lose my place on shows.

The only thing is he's so tight with money even before seeing me he never had wifi. We can prove this also. But to me that looks odd no wifi.

He's also the cheapest person I know with bills. He refuses to have heating on, does washing at his parents house and showers at his gym. Making his bills as low as possible.

My downstairs neighbours told me to my face in April they've reported him living here. Nothing at all came from this so surely it's not fraud??

Is it fraud?? I'm terrified I really don't like this situation and want to get him added asap but we literally couldn't afford to live if he did with his huge debts and until he sells his house.

I can't really say what the threshold for prosecution is, I also can't work out how much potential overpayment there would be as there are other factors that I'm not aware of, I'm also not au fait with Scottish rules although I think they are very similar.

@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs even if it's accidental is there still a threshold?

Yes, it's not the manner of the offence but the potential overpayment

@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs How high of an amount must it be? Do you reckon I'm close to it? Is it common to be close to it?

Sorry, there are quite a few factors that determine if a case is passed for prosecution, I said before that I think you should use this as a wake up call and decide he is no good for you, especially off the back of your other thread.

Afraid I can't answer that, it's not the sort of thing you can Google for obvious reasons

@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs do I meet the other factors?

Like I posted a moment ago I'm worried if he picks up and leaves - my neighbour will report that
Then if he does what will happen? I can be seen as fraudulent?

I see my best option is adding him on, paying the amount I shouldn't have gotten if that happens then i can't be caught out months later asking why I never said?

No it's not if he maintains a property and pays all his bills at a different registered address

@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs can you answer if an average person could be close to it?

@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs or if from what I've told you I am close to it?

@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs also sorry completely forgot this is probably key information they reported me to my Hosuing officer in temporary accommodation who disproved him living here. I was very honest with her and she said in temporary accommodation no more than 3 days rules are different permanently and we followed this until last month. She put on my file he's not here, she said if she caught him she'd give me 3 warning and I'd lose my accommodation. I never got a single warning and I'm now here full time.

Don't be so silly. Your best option is to get shot of the financially abusive, lazy, scrounging arsehole before he drags you and your children down with him.

Why not try citizensadvice.org.uk/contact-us/web-chat-service

You can talk to a trained advisor and it's entirely confidential. You've had some well meaning advice from some posters but it's best to go through your personal circumstances with an impartial advisor before making any decisions.

@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs housing officer regularly searched my rooms etc to see if he was here and she disproved it. Told them to stop reporting it.

This is why I assumed they reported me else where for everything. Would my housing officer in temporary accommodation who came out to visit monthly and wrote it wasn't true and never once gave me a warning - be enough to prove them wrong and that's why no one's looked into us?

I really can't say the thresholds or criteria for prosecution, but I did also say that from what you've said you won't be going to court and it will be dealt with in house.

Is his clothes at yours? Do you food shop together, this is things that will be looked at to determine if your a couple

No he has a pair of shoes here from a day out that got left

Nope I do online asda shops. He does not take me shopping. Also don't get him anything in them either. His card details have never been on my Asda account.

@Redkettle from your advice my housing officer disproving him staying here with regular checks is this enough to prove he wasn't here? She also issued no warnings etc

Anzuu didn't mean to worry you lovely. You just have to be v careful. I'm probably posting the exception nor the norm but when I see advice like he xan stay 3 nights a week etc it annoys me as this gets people in trouble. You would know if there were concerns and you would be given chance to rectify or give your side but in all honesty if you have a full blown relationship with someone who stays with you eats with you keeps his clothes there, his toothbrush, takes you all out for the day declare it even if its just to cover ur back. Don't stress xxxxxxx

Yes this is good. Xxxx don't worry xxxx

@Redkettle if I declare if from last month when I stopped following temporary rules will I be fine? Since my housing officer regularly checked ?
@Allthegoodnamesaregoneffs

Temporary rules? Are you on a starter licence or in temp accommodation. Sorry haven't read whole thread

@Redkettle I don't know what those options mean sorry

My landlord sold our house so I applied to homeless. I was given a temporary accommodation with that I got a housing officer who did regular checks in my house, all the rooms etc not just for him living there but to make sure I wasn't knocking down walls etc. she was my point of contact for all the compliments my neighbours made - saying kids were loud etc (all disproved too, they had noise apps etc)

And then I got my offer for the temporary accommodation to become my full time permanent council house (this doesn't happen often and I was told wouldn't happen but I updated my preferences to include the area my now permanent house is in.

I hope that answers either one

@Redkettle I've never heard of starter licence so I'll say it can't be that

Ah I know. Same applies really. As long as he's not in full time relationship and not contributing, staying over, clothes toothbrush etc there, paying for meals you are okay x