Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you if this is fraud?

147 replies

LucyLeopard · 13/01/2023 17:03

just as background - Colleague is a lovely person and also a single mum to 3 children. I think this must be incredibly tough!

We are fortunate in our job (carers) that we now get our mileage paid from home and not the workplace. It used to be workplace to someone’s home but it’s now from our own home! This has helped everyone with that extra little bit of cost and we can even claim for the drive to work!

the thing is colleague is claiming from an address she doesn’t live at. She actually lives say 2 miles from the workplace but now she’s claiming from her mums house which is 34 miles each way!

I realised this from when she asked me to scan both our mileage sheets in. She’s now making over 100.00 per week in mileage. i know she definitely only lives 2 miles from work as she only invited us round at Christmas.

im really torn, I feel like I 96% should keep my mouth shut but 4% of me has that niggling doubt I should say something!

wwyd?

OP posts:
Getinajollymood · 13/01/2023 17:04

Carers get paid nothing like what they are worth. So yes it’s fraud but it’s one I would ignore myself. I’m sure lots of hoity toity remarks will say otherwise.

Lily0719 · 13/01/2023 17:06

Say nothing. A small win for a single parent who is most likely massively underpaid.

Streamside · 13/01/2023 17:06

Maybe her mum's address is her official address.I wouldn't get involved.

Ihatepcos · 13/01/2023 17:09

I'm surprised people are in support of her.

Things like this always end the same, someone (OP's colleague) takes the piss and then everyone will lose out because they will go back to paying it from the workplace.

Goldenboysmum · 13/01/2023 17:10

She must have been using her mums address when she got the job, otherwise surely they'd be querying the 2 different address's?

Original poster
LucyLeopard · 13/01/2023 17:16

Goldenboysmum · 13/01/2023 17:10

She must have been using her mums address when she got the job, otherwise surely they'd be querying the 2 different address's?

I think her mums address is on file but she actually has moved to the new address near our workplace.

OP posts:
Original poster
LucyLeopard · 13/01/2023 17:18

I was on the fence of not saying anything but I do feel it’s slightly unfair that she’s making around 400.00 a month extra in non existent mileage!

OP posts:
Stomacharmeleon · 13/01/2023 17:19

Can you just not query it with her on the QT? So she has a chance to rectify her 'error' and she doesn't get into trouble?

MeinKraft · 13/01/2023 17:20

Ihatepcos · 13/01/2023 17:09

I'm surprised people are in support of her.

Things like this always end the same, someone (OP's colleague) takes the piss and then everyone will lose out because they will go back to paying it from the workplace.

Which is one reason not to tell tales.

CatchYouOnTheFlippetyFlop · 13/01/2023 17:20

Does she maybe drop the kids off in the morning at her mum's and pick them up from there?

NumberTheory · 13/01/2023 17:23

If she isn’t living at and driving from her mum’s place and your policy explicitly states you can only claim for mileage driven (as well as any requirement about where your starting point can be), it’s almost certainly criminal fraud, yes.

SchrodingersKettle · 13/01/2023 17:23

I wouldn’t say anything, it could the case her mum is helping with wrap around childcare so she is still going back and forth to her mums address, and so she still counts that as the starting point of her commute. It might not be strictly correct but are you absolutely sure of your facts…

WednesdaysPlaits · 13/01/2023 17:24

It's fraud and if she's caught she will have to pay it back and the police will probably be involved.

I'd tell her you know. Then its for her to deal with

LikeTearsInRain · 13/01/2023 17:24

I’d report it anonymously

WednesdaysPlaits · 13/01/2023 17:25

If you're more senior than her though you should definitely report it otherwise you're failing in your obligations as a manager.

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 13/01/2023 17:26

Well, your employers are going to start checking up themselves, presumably, as it will show up as a discrepancy in expenses, and also make your colleague too expensive to employ. So I wouldn’t take it on yourself to be a whistle blower, annoying as it is.

Original poster
LucyLeopard · 13/01/2023 17:26

SchrodingersKettle · 13/01/2023 17:23

I wouldn’t say anything, it could the case her mum is helping with wrap around childcare so she is still going back and forth to her mums address, and so she still counts that as the starting point of her commute. It might not be strictly correct but are you absolutely sure of your facts…

Her children are 15 and two in their twenties so not young ones

OP posts:
watchfulwishes · 13/01/2023 17:27

Yes it sounds like criminal fraud.

What you do about it is a matter for you.

topcat2014 · 13/01/2023 17:27

Gross misconduct. Fired if found out. No obligation though on you to report.

GenuinelyDone · 13/01/2023 17:28

It sounds like she's playing the system and it she gets caught it will be gross misconduct and immediately fired.

I'm a rule book person, but I'm not sure I could report someone for this knowing it would mean a job loss.

I would be tempted to have a word though and make sure she understands that the claim should be from where she lives and not from where she starts her commute (being kind and going with what a PP said about her mother being childcare for example). If she shrugs it off, that's on her but you won't be the only person who knows where she lives. Her immunity from being caught is going to be very limited.

Chickychoccyegg · 13/01/2023 17:30

What would you gain from reporting her? Nothing that's what, are you a envious she's found a way to make a little extra? It doesn't affect you, so I'd leave it alone.

TellMeWhere · 13/01/2023 17:33

I disagree that it doesn't affect OP. It's unfair. Ask her if you can move in with her at her mums, so you can also claim extra mileage too.

Muddlingmiddling · 13/01/2023 17:34

So many snitches on MN

JimHensonWasAGenius · 13/01/2023 17:36

I would wonder how trustworthy a carer she was if she is really is doing this.

Not someone I would want looking after one of my loved ones.

WednesdaysPlaits · 13/01/2023 17:36

Muddlingmiddling · 13/01/2023 17:34

So many snitches on MN

grow up

Swipe left for the next trending thread