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.

That inconsistency is really, really bad for your kids. They need routine in every aspect - especially when it comes to seeing their other parent

Just make sure you both have your own homes & pay your own council tax & bills. If you get a compliance letter that they are going to visit you in your home they would be looking for things like does he keep belongings at your home. The chances are it will come to nothing, the DWP are reducing their staffing levels & compliance is one thing that will reduce. For them to do surveillance there would have to be compelling evidence for them to do so.

That’s a bit like saying my dad had intermingled finances with his ex-wife, because he paid for his children with her. Nothing the OP has said, indicates their finances are intermingled.

My nephew and niece have a toothbrush and clothes at my home, they do not live with me.

Can’t imagine trying to start over in a new relationship with someone and because they spend time with me having to change the way I claim a benefit. If he wasn’t the kids’ dad would you still consider it fraud?

No it’s entirely different… these two are living like a couple the finances are secondary.

Perhaps because they ‘recently’ got back together. Do you think it sensible that a new relationship should be rushed? What makes you think the OP doesn’t work? Why would them living together make his parents more able to help out than them living apart? The OP laid out a series of facts and you seem to have made a few assumptions about things she never mentioned. Taking kids to school sometimes is part of co-parenting. OP hasn’t said how far he lives, but she does mention a one bedroom place, so seeing the kids in her place makes more sense no?

Ive never been a single parent but I can at least have compassion for someone giving a relationship another go. Even if there are a few red flags I wouldn’t tolerate (how would I know I’m not single)

Have you posted about this very recently in money matters? It sounds very similar. Replies varied on there, but people with more of a background in the DWP said that you should be concerned. It's presented slightly differently here, but I would say that you are in a grey area and it could cause you some problems.

If the facts she has laid out is “living like a couple” the bar for coupledom on MN is very low.

plus the message I responded to says she’s in a relationship with intermingled finances.

Quite frankly she’s in a new relationship. If it wasn’t the children’s father would everyone advise moving him in when the relationship was so ‘recent’?

@knittingaddict no I didn't could you tag me in it please

It's not the main criteria is it. But it is something they would look out for.

Anyway OP don't sweat it just ring them up and let them know the circumstances and let them decide

This. No fraud at all . You run separate households the fact he sends you money for kids , you send to him etc is a non point as you have kids together . However, You have a vindictive neighbour problem. You aren’t breaking any laws.

I think that it reads like your dodging how often he’s there and the fact you immediately considered telling them he’s living there makes me think he is. He’s not just staying the occasional night is he? When he’s here he stays every night. That’s living there

I believe the rules are he needs to prove he pays bills / mortgage etc at the other house. Which he does. So you should be ok

With neighbours like yours who are likely to report you is it worth the constant worry? You are a together couple, with children, but have 2 houses. I think you need to update benefits and see what they do or say. They might do nothing as you have 2 homes. It would take away stress of neighbours though.

I don't know about benefits but is there a problem with the the £200 he sends her. She's calling it child maintainence but if they are a couple then surely it's not child maintenance?

Aside from anything else why are you getting back with him?
He sounds awful

Sorry to jump. It how many nights are you allowed to have people stay per week in a council/UC housing paid property?

There isn’t a set number of nights. It’s based on if they have 2 properties and can prove they pay bills on 2 properties

This definition is from WWW.Gov.Uk

I don't know about benefits but I don't think you can call the £200 child maintainence . Can anyone confirm?

What child maintenance is
Child maintenance covers how your child’s living costs will be paid when one of the parents does not live with the child. It’s made when you’ve separated from the other parent or if you’ve never been in a relationship

Amazes me that as a rule MN positively condones benefit fraud, someone posts about someone they know having a cash in hand job/claiming more benefits than they’re entitled to and the general response is “keep your nose out, in the current crisis if they claim a bit more what does it matter? Amazon do far worse.” But as soon as a poster has a man in the picture who she is legitimately seeing, people start accusing her of having no morals and scrounging from the taxpayer.

He pays towards the children because they are his children. It’s not remotely the same as getting together with someone who is funding their children as those children are not the new partner’s.

People on benefits are entitled to have relationships y’know. And part of building a relationship is, you know, spending time together, with a view to perhaps being together full time one day. Nothing says that you are committing fraud because he owns a toothbrush at your house.

Or perhaps posters would have this man move straight back in? People’s views on the man aside, the OP has chosen to be with him and as such is not yet ready to make him a permanent part of the relationship.

Oh and OP your neighbours are wankers. Hth.

It's benefit fraud he lives with you but you are claiming as though he doesn't. The fact he's a tight wad is totally irrelevant

Watch out for cheap watches in the road. One way to see if someone is living at a property is to put a cheap watch very close to a car wheel.

When you drive off it breaks the watch but shows the time you left.

The rules are about the number of nights he stays. It used to be 3 times a week.

You should raise your bar when it comes to relationships

I thought as long as he was paying council tax elsehwere it was ok.

Ignore your neighbours they're shit stirring.