Would you report this? Potential benefit fraud

[Overthebow]

I’m struggling with this one, on one hand I think just leave it as everyone is struggling to survive, on the other it just doesn’t sit right with me. And I’d it even benefit fraud? I don’t have much experience with benefits so not sure. I need your thoughts! here’s the situation.

A couple had a baby a few years ago. Almost straight afterwards they split up.she got a housing association property and universal credit, she doesn’t work. He lives at his mums, has a decently paid job and doesn’t claim UC. But ever since they’ve still appeared to kind of be together. He sleeps over a few times a week, they go on days out and holidays together and she talks about them as ‘we’ and ‘us’. She’s also talked about buying a house together in the future as he is able to save a decent amount.

Perhaps he isn't as reliable as he looks. He can tell her that he can't give her money because 'they' are saving for a house, but until it's bought and she's moved in, she doesn't know if that's ever going to happen and unless he marries her before she moves in, she's homeless if he wants out of the relationship. I'd be advising her to not give up her tenancy pre marriage, not reporting her. I've seen so many women dropped on their arse in similar circumstances. She might be imagining a future to make herself feel better. Be honest with yourself, would you report out of envy? She's a LP attached/giving sex/her younger years to a man who can do what he wants when he isn't with her and who doesn't have to give her a penny.

Times are hard, what does it matter to you if she receives UC and also a few extra pounds from her child's Father?

For fucks same stop acting like UC comes from a magic money tree which ‘doesn’t affect anyone else’. It’s stealing from the public purse - are you also OK with MPs fiddling expenses?

Not fraud but definitely playing the system. I'm social minded but I knew a couple doing exactly the same at the same time I was back at work at 12 weeks post giving birth (those were the days eh) those saying nothing wrong with it, are you and your mates doing the same? You are scamming the public

But our babies lose money when our taxes get leeched by people on the fiddle, do they not?

One of my old school friends does exactly this, except they never split up, is it actually fraud though? Would she receive less money if the money her boyfriend was giving her was declared? I’m not going to report her because I don’t care enough, but I’m just curious.

They're not living together so not benefit fraud.

Even if they were living together, no way would I report them. They are not our enemy.

Playing the system maybe.

It's also within the rules and if she did decide to be mean spirited enough to report it she'd get nowhere with it.

I’m not being goady, I’m allowed to ask a question about an actual situation.

People on benefits are allowed to have boyfriends. They're also allowed to have those boyfriends stay over. They don't take your passport away when you claim UC either. Providing they are financially separate and he has another address then they're doing nothing wrong. I do agree it sounds like they're playing the system, but then so are most MPs, so good luck to them.

I bet the same posters who are fiddling themselves or want to calling you ‘goady’ also disapprove of MPs fiddling their expenses. No different IMO 🤷🏼‍♀️ stealing from the public purse is still stealing.

It's not fraud.

It's not "playing the system"

It's not illegal.

It's not immoral.

There's really nothing else to say.

Whether or not it's fraud depends on whether he's contributing to her household other than paying what he should for their child.

Try to stop spying on your neighbours.

I agree.

it has fuck all to do with you op

Mind your own business

This ^

If you minded your own business, you wouldn't be struggling. Easy solution.

the baby isn’t a newborn baby, 3 years old now.

It's not fraud so nothing to report

Couples are not required to live together. Are you saying that single parents should not have a relationship? I wouldn't actually want to live with somebody again so the situation you describe seems perfectly reasonable.“

They aren’t single parents. They are very much a family.

They sat down and went through the figures when their first child was expected (when they were living together). It was beneficial to live separately so they “split up” for the sake of their applications. It was a very deliberate choice and they were open with family about exactly what they were doing and why, reassuring everyone that they were very much together. Several years and another child later the situation hasn’t changed.

I think you need to find something else to do with your time.

Even if they ARE "playing the system" I honestly could not give a fuck.

You think the higher ups weren't playing the system during covid with their lucrative contracts? You think MPs aren't playing the system with their expenses? You think companies aren't playing the system with "rewilding grants" and the like? You think nobody was playing the system when they shorted the pound?

Who actually gives a crap about a mother on universal credit trying to give her child a better fucking life. People make me sick honestly. If it's so amazing kick your boyfriend/ partner out and play the bloody system too! Nothing is stopping anyone from doing it.

All these posters pretending they believe this implausible scenario is hilarious!

@Rememberal what about those of us who are just over the threshold, don’t get anything yet have to fork out for scammers like this woman? Do we register with you at all or is it just Robin Hood very poor vs very rich?

Send your partner back to live with his mum? That does mean you'll have to quit your job or go part time and do more than your fair share of cooking/ cleaning/ childcare etc but hey it's an extra few hundred quid a month (is it really though?!) so crack on.

I've had an employee who was caught for benefit fraud. She was also being financially and emotionally abused by her arse of a partner.

The reason she was convicted was because her and her ex/not ex were clearly financially tied together. She claimed benefits and he paid for her hair and clothes (and didn't pay living expenses elsewhere).

It doesn't sound like the situation in the OP is like that. I would also assume that as the partner is employed, he is being asked to contribute to his child.