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.

But we're not 'forking out'. You're blaming the wrong people

Millions in benefits to unclaimed each year. The percentage of fraud is tiny. Most people don't do it. Despite what these multiple threads on benefit bashing would have us think

I love how in these threads they are always in HA properties more or less straight away.

having read everyone’s replies I agree with this. It seems like it isn’t fraud but does seem to be playing the system and I do have a problem morally with that. I won’t report it if it’s not actually fraud but I do think less of her for doing this.

So I should scan as well? No thanks, I actually have morals and don’t want to sit on my arse stealing from others 🤷🏼‍♀️

They might not have had enough money to live together, if they've decided to live apart and for the dad to be apart from his child because they were that hard up then that's down to them, it's really none of your business.

I have no idea how long a wait she had for it, I just know she went into one as soon as they split up. For all I know she could have applied long before that.

But she'll have worry and hassle and uncertainty and her claim might be suspended while she's investigated.

However people who think like like you don't care about that.

To the OP - it really is nothing to do with you.

But you don’t know if it is or it isn’t. So report them, and they’ll be investigated. If theyre not doing anything wrong they’ve got nothing to worry about.

If they are doing something wrong however why don’t they deserve to get caught? I’m sick of our taxes going towards lazy spongers while being told we should be ‘happy about it, because we have a job’.

This attitude to probably benefit fraud on MN is laughable. If I posted to say I had been fiddling my tax returns nobody would be saying ‘good for you, you’re a low earner and deserve every penny you can get’. I would be called greedy and immoral. She’s no better.

They are probably playing the system but I wouldn’t get involved.
I wouldn’t be inviting her round for cocktails either though.

No, I don’t care. Does she care about the stress on your average low earning tax payer who receives no help and is funding her likely fraudulent lifestyle? Does she fuck!

I know a married couple who claimed to have split. She and the DC lived in their rented house and claimed benefits; he lived with his Mum. He visited and stayed over for however many nights was allowed and they regularly went out together. They saved for a house deposit in no time at all because she was claiming benefits and he paid child support.
They are still married with a lovely house.
It's not right but they'd never have got on the property ladder without doing this 🤨

I get your frustration OP. Clearly know the system and getting everything they can out of it.

Because of course it is that easy to get a HA property?

You split up and magically there is a property waiting for each and everyone of us.

Unfortunately it’s not benefit fraud, it is playing the system. Someone I know has 5 children with the same partner, lives in HA, never lived together, she claims every benefit she can, he does the same whilst living elsewhere as he doesn’t want to work. Both are capable of working but chose not to.

I would leave them be.TBH its nothing to do with you.All that will happen is they are in trouble for what? trying to sort themselves out! If they get back together and get a house thats surely good. I would try and focus on your own life .Not being rude .

I think you are immoral for wanting to act like an unpaid, unqualified, over zealous benefits fraud officer on your own neighbour.

I'm sure she'll be better off without you in her life tbh.

Mind your beeswax.

You’re on the outside of the situation, you don’t really know what’s going on. I’m planning to move away from my kid’s dad because I can’t afford to live in the area, as a condition of him not kicking up a fuss about the move I’ve already agreed that he can come and stay for visits. The idea that someone would see him coming to stay and decide that we’re back together hadn’t occurred to me.

But why would you want to get that child's mother potentially imprisoned?

If it's some loyalty to wider society I'd say reporting would do more societal harm than good.

If it's about the money, there's millions every year in unclaimed benefits. It all balances out moneywise.

Mind your own business..my niece is a single a mother living on her own . Her boyfriend who is not the father stays over at weekends. Anyone who doesn’t know them would assume the same as you if nosey enough . They have known each other for many years .

You seem to be a self appointed arbiter of morality and what you think constitutes fraud. You ooze righteous indignation. Apply your indignation to the shady business and tax avoidance of Philip green,Michelle mone , the financial shenanigans of the tories. Get active about that not an individual single mum

You have no grounds whatsoever for calling her a scammer. Do you have any hobbies apart from persistent benefit bashing?

I wouldn't report the OP's example, but if I knew someone was claiming as a single person living alone and had a full-time live in partner I'd report them.
I work hard to pay my taxes, so I have a say in where it goes - I'd have no guilt dobbing someone in if they were taking the mickey.

So you’re fine with sole traders not declaring their earnings or filing their tax returns? They’re just one person, right?

👏🏻

Doesn't sound like its fraud in any way, but even if it was - your annoyancd is misdirected just like most folk who get all wound up about benefit "cheats".

These folk aren't the problem - it's the unfair systems created by (Tory) governments - you're angry at the wrong people. Think about all the corporate tax evasion, government corruption etc and stop worrying about a couple of hundred quid being claimed by a seemingly single parent

In short, get a life and mind your own business.