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.

If he is giving her money, then she could argue it is an agreement between the 2 of them over what he pays in maintenance which is not counted when awarding UC. Neither of them are doing anything wrong legally or morally.

What if all the “rich” and “corporations” etc etc paid their tax in full - would benefit fraud be wrong then?

I think where the system is wrong is making obtaining a property easier, nay, conditional, on having no partner (when you have dc). Of course people’s behaviour is dictated by what is economically advantageous to them.

Rubbish.

Objecting to people side eying, monitoring and reporting others doesn't mean that you even claim benefits.

As it happens, claimants don't have to declare child maintenance payments when applying for UC, it is not classed as income. Therefore any money the claimant is receiving from their child's other parent can be classed as child maintenance and is in no respect 'fiddling' anyone or any system.

YANBU. I would report and let them sort it out.

If the couple aren’t committing benefit fraud then they have nothing to worry about, and if they are, they can suffer the consequences of their choice.

to be classed as a couple they'd have to be living together full time

What has it got to do with you?

I usually find those who say people are 'bitter' about this sort of thing are missing the point.

It's demoralising to work hard, do the right thing, provide for your family, but then see that chunk of tax handed to people taking the p*ss.

Sure someone will be along in a minute to tell me that 'there are rich people avoiding taxes'. No one is doubting that- but it doesnt mean that working the bare minimum and letting the state fund the family you created is easy to see.

They have every damn right to be bitter when Theresa Coffee is standing there telling us FT workers to take on more hours if we're struggling....

I would probably report someone I thought was committing fraud. I just think taxpayers deserve better. I think a lot of people disagree with me but I think that claiming more than you should is morally wrong. A man in Ireland got caught last year for pretending his parents were still alive. He'd been collecting their pensions for years, forging their signatures etc... I think that it's right that he was exposed and shamed.

I know this couple are back together or never broke up as she sleeps with him and they act and refer to themselves as a couple

So?

You can be a couple with someone you don't live with - it's not the crime you seem to think it is.

Do you pay tax ?
Who would you rather got your money ? Someone scamming the system for their own advantage or a public service desperately lacking money like the NHS for example. ?

You’re getting piled on here, but i don’t think yabu. Personally I wouldn’t report as I’m not a grass, but I’d definitely judge.

A father who is in a relationship with the mother should be living with and financially supporting the family unit, not allowing the tax payer to pick up the flack while he sits sits at mummy’s building up a lovely savings pot.

Sounds like jealousy to me. It’s usually people who are struggling that feel like this about others

There is an extremely high chance that there is a criminal offence.

Read my post if 38 minutes ago where I set out the criteria for living together cases.

None of us get any say in how our tax is spent. Government spending is divided into specific budgets, the NHS isn’t going to be miraculously better off by someone no longer claiming benefits. The amount of unclaimed benefits more than compensates for any fraud. And this isn’t fraud anyway.

She herself said she was bitter. Also totally fair to be angry at the systems that make you feel like you work so hard for nothing and that some people may just eke out a bit more of than you. All of that is fair to be mad at, but snitching on people without facts is not okay, and we should be directing anger at gov policy and systems that make this dogs dinner of everything. You really cant blame people for getting what they can. I personally would never snitch on anyone unless I knew there was huge harm being done. I am not a government shill - let them do the work and everyone get on with their lives focusing on making your own life better

Mind your own business..
Keep your nose out ..
What's it got to do with you ?

Are there really posters on here who are that stupid. Is it possible you could actually worked out how to post on an internet forum and yet HONESTLY BELIEVE that benefit fraud is not e everyone's responsibility. ?

In the last year figures were available for - 2021... it was £8bn .. yes EIGHT BILLION !! That is nearly 20% of the entire education budget ..

So next time you say ' not my business' just think about your kids schools with too few teachers, having to share books .. inadequate SEN provision..
you are 'cool' with that are you ? You are happy for someone to pretend to have separated in order for the state to support them whilst other half brings in a working wage ?

Glad you are not in charge of my budget because your moral and financial compasses are screwed .

You are correct @Lotsofthingstoconsider . They are playing the system for sure....

I think it's absolutely disgusting that the government think that living together means one partner should be financially reliant on the other, when there is no marriage contract. You can't say common in law partners doesn't exist in the law but then have another rule saying unmarried partners are financially responsible for their partners when claiming benefits. The richer partner could leave with everything and the poorer wouldn't even have an existing UC claim to rely on. With all the financial abuse threads on here between married couples I don't trust unmarried partners to be a reliable source of income.

And let's be fair the poorer partners are usually (statistically) unemployed SAHM. So they're doubly disadvantaged.

So would I report a couple not even living together...? No I wouldn't, and I would bloody mind my own business.

If you are going to argue a point with me, at least argue the point rather than accuse me of drinking then calling me a clown. Grow up.

No, I wouldn't report this. I'd only ever report if I absolutely knew 100% that fraud was being committed, not just on a hunch.

Meanwhile, UNCLAIMED benefits £15+ billion.

www.entitledto.co.uk/blog/2021/january/15plus-billion-unclaimed-means-tested-benefits-but-the-sketchy-take-up-data-makes-it-hard-to-say-for-sure/

Another one who evidently doesn't care that someone will in all likelihood have their claim suspended, even if the report is unfounded.

How is her situation ANTHING to do with yours? Mind your own business!!