To think this “crackdown” on benefit fraud is absolutely pathetic

[MissLou0]

We lose hundreds of billions from tax avoidance compared to 1 billion on benefit fraud and nothing is done about it, because those are the Tory donors. Michelle Mone just stole £28 million from taxpayers for her PPE scam, she’s not in trouble, and she of course also hides her hundreds of millions offshore.

We lose a small amount from benefit fraud, and as a result everyone who claims any sort of benefit including disability benefits banks are going to be monitored.

The graph below doesn’t even scratch the surface of how much is lost to tax avoidance. For example Rupert Murdoch is worth £17 billion and he hasn’t paid tax in years, personal tax or on his businesses. And he’s ONE person. These people are not targeted yet the most desperate and vulnerable are.

This is completely ignored by the media as the majority of newspaper owners are hiding their money offshore.

I’m in a situation where I don’t need to claim any benefits but I have family who are disabled who have had to fight for even the tiniest amount to live on, and they are now having to deal with this invasion of privacy which will make not even 0.000001% of what cracking down on tax avoidance would.

I completely agree with you OP. It's a disgusting attack (along with the changes being proposed to eligibility for ill health/disability benefits)on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable in society I the middle of a cost of living crisis.

Let's get all the poor, sick and disabled working and making more money for the fucking uber rich while they don't pay any fucking taxes.

Let's reinstate the workhouses while we are at it.

Tax avoidance is not illegal. Do you mean tax evasion? Of course the rich will always find a way to hide their money. I don’t know what the answer is? It’s easier to go after a few million people who can’t afford to fight back than one who has millions if not billions at his /her disposal.

@ConsuelaHammock its not illegal but it could be drastically cut/stopped if the government were so minded. But of course it’s their mates so they won’t 🤬.

I agree with both views, absolutely big companies and individuals should be made to pay. However, I don't agree with people not working and getting benefits when they're quite capable. Why should I work to pay for them ?
Quite happy to pay tax ( no choice ) for those who need it ,in fact genuine claimants should get more imo.

When people speak of cracking down on the rich of that actually happened what knock on effect would it have on people's lives now?

Would it make things more expensive or harder on 'normal' people in other ways

Like saying 'the government should spend a billion on schools' if they did would people have to pay more taxes for that to happen, just an example

But i don't think the answer is 'normal people should be free to commit fraud because the rich do something legal but I don't like it'

Trickle down economics has been debunked.

Check out this on a wealth tax and how much the economy is set up against almost everyone other than the uber rich who are just getting richer and richer off the backs of everyone else:

But they aren't. Look at the stats. Actually benefit fraud is a tiny proportion of claimants. A SIGNIFICANTLY smaller proportion than under-claimed benefits. But these changes will affect ALL benefit claimants. I can tell you for a fact the system is already very fucking hard on poor and vulnerable people (I know that due to my job not because I claim benefits). This is only going to make that much harder. And it's all political. It's not actually going to change anything. They are doing this, at the expense of taxpayers (because this will cost money to implement) and at the expense of the most vulnerable TO WIN VOTES!

Real benefit fraudsters won't keep their money in the bank in their name. So this will achieve absolutely nothing. They are only doing it to look like they are doing something in the vain hope of getting some votes in the upcoming general election. Please don't be fooled.

And the Government doesn't like it to be known that every year £18 BILLION goes unclaimed in benefits!!

£18 Billion unclaimed per annum

Is your argument because group A do something wrong we shouldn't find out if group B are doing something wrong?

Both should be dealt with.

Rishi...that you?

Whilst I'm thinking about it, if companies such as Amazon Tesco Sky virgin Asda Starbucks and all these big companies paid their employees a living wage instead of minimum wage then the benefits bill will be slashed significantly as these workers would not be forced to claim universal credit. There's some upside down thinking in the government and it's about time benefit claimants stopped being shamed and stopped being made to feel as commiting fraud.

Desperate people claim benefits. Fraudsters commit fraud. Rarely the two overlap: no reason to punish them all.

Did you know they are quietly bringing in legislation allowing claimants' bank/savings accounts to be checked EVERY Week? Just to make sure your poor granny on pension credits or the newly single parent fleeing abuse doesn't have a couple of quid over the savings limit? Makes me so angry.

This, I don’t understand the ops logic, of well it’s not that much and there are worse. If someone is committing benefit fraud of course if should be stopped, as should any other criminal activity.

I don’t understand what you mean though with them dealing with this invasion of privacy, I thought it was monthly bank checks, which doesn’t involve the person? It’s done by the bank?

Of course it involves the person, it's their bank account.

And who will pay for these bank checks? Increased account fees for the account holder?

What are the changes happening to benefits please?

Bang on!!!!

Can't imagine why Sunak wants to distract people from the money wasted by this government during COVID

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56319927

Bashing benefits claimants yet again is such a bullshit move.

This is fine
https://news.sky.com/story/21bn-of-taxpayer-money-lost-in-fraud-by-government-since-pandemic-began-says-spending-watchdog-12845271

@greyhairnomore
The government have worked hard to push onto people the rhetoric that 'you pay for benefit fraud ' ...its divide and conquer. Never mind how many in government are as crooked as they come.
Hate this rhetoric of Rat on a neighbour if you will. Putting people against people. Usually working class against working class.
I earn a good wage, i don't claim benefits...however, some people are struggling, this government and other governments will have you believe everyone is at it... neighbours have become curtain twitching watsons.. guessing who could be 'conning' the system...when really they should be looking at the very people who push the idea that that could be happening.

Absolutely @Loubelle70 They have the cheek to point the figure at "benefit cheats" when the Tory party have had the absolute worst record cheating, swindling, and breaking rules during their time in power. Pot Kettle Black.

Tax avoidance isn't illegal. Tax avoidance mechanisms are in place to encourage certain behaviours. Anyone with an ISA practices tax avoidance, for example. So companies practising tax avoidance are operating within the law.

Tax evasion is illegal and any company doing it is hiding it. Nobody thinks it's ok, but they're hiding it. Just like the tradesman who asks you to 'pay in cash' so that they can evade taxes. It's not ok but it's difficult to address.

And none of this makes it ok to claim benefits fraudulently.

I think you have to see it in the context of the extent of worklessness and a looming social care bill. Our current spending is unsustainable. Of course people need to cough up what they owe and of course the government have fucked up but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be making sure people aren’t claiming what they are not entitled to. Both should be done. I don’t see the problem with that.

And honestly if it were me I wouldn’t care if they were checking because I wouldn’t be committing fraud.

Where is your chart from please, OP? I'd like to share it but need a source.

I think the government should do this for all bank accounts. You’d catch lots of tax evasion. Those who rent out a second home on the quiet etc. Especially in an increasingly cash-free society.