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.

Absolutely. I'm on a lower rate than I should be because of an assessment by Atos that was frankly a load of bollocks!
I was dissuaded from appealing with the threat of losing the entite benefit, which terrified me.

I capitulated at the time. I know better now. When my next assessment comes up, I'll be fighting them this time.

@MistyGreenAndBlue My dh has psychosis amongst other mental health issues, has made numerous suicide attempts, won't leave the house alone and just lies on the settee in silence all day, doing nothing for himself. He's been with the early intervention team for psychosis for the full 3 years you are allowed, he's now with the community mental health team, he has a psychiatrist, two support workers and a social worker. He's also just recently had a social care assessment carried out and has been awarded funding for more support. Yet, he's only ever been awarded the standard rate of PIP. I mentioned it to someone on the community mental health team who said really, he should be on the enhanced rate as he can't leave the house alone etc and she'd write me a letter confirming this. Unfortunately, she then left and went to work elsewhere. When I mentioned this to his new social worker, they advised me not to "rock the boat" with PIP, as, if I asked for a reassessment, they could just as easily downgrade his points, which has obviously frightened me off doing anything. What hope is there for people applying for PIP when professionals are advising people not to bother trying to get what they should be entitled to. The whole system is run on fear.

That's horrendous. At least I have the mental capacity to fight them. I only gave in before because of anxiety.
You are right though. It's about creating fear. It works too

My apologies, haven't RTFT.

I'm disabled and bed bound, and this terrifies me. I already get calls from the job centre asking when I'm thinking of returning to work. This is despite me being on maximum PIP for next 10 years, and not being able to work since 1997.

At the moment I'm lucky to have a medical team to fight my corner. But what is really scaring me is the other announcement they've made.

They want to move away from medics being able to sign up off altogether, and allow decision makers within the DWP to decide if we're fit to work.

Considering most health care professionals who conduct fitness for work assessments for DWP often don't even know about the condition they're assessing, this is extremely worrying. A friend of mine had heart disease, and a psychiatrist told her she was fit to work. She died 9 days later.

The Tories will only be happy when we're all dead or back in the workhouse.

@Rosscameasdoody, thanks, v concerning. I know PIP currently has no bearing on ESA. However, there was an article I read last week that said one of the things the Government is considering is the only people who could get the new proposed health element to Universal Credit would be if they were in receipt of PIP too This would affect half a million people and would be another cruel cut. I know all of these proposed changes are not yet passed legislation but things they are looking at in white papers.

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/half-a-million-set-to-lose-out-when-dwp-scraps-fit-for-work-test-figures-show/

@MistyGreenAndBlue, i am v sorry to hear. I am bedridden with severe ME and I had to start the appeal process for my PIP award when transferred from DLA as I only got awarded the standard care component initially. The assessor decided I was able to cook because I had a microwave at the end of my bed which my carer placed the meal she had cooked into it and I was able to re heat later.

As I am bedridden, I said I would have to have a home tribunal and it was at this point they suddenly decided to award me enhanced care. It was very stressful though and did affect my health. Good luck when you apply again and do appeal if you don’t get the correct award first time.

@Dawn17 am so sorry, awful.

@OnlyOpenMouthToChangeFeet , v sorry to hear. Which ESA group are you in?

@Crispedia They are absolutely heartless to put you through all that. I am so angry on your behalf! I hope this never happens to you again and that you are always awarded the highest rate without having to appeal ever again. These people are inhuman!

I heard that too. The chap has rang in before on the same topic. He literally shouts down the phone. Keeps going on about flat screen TVs (what other type can you buy now??) and that people should have their BB removed (you can have one without being on any benefits).

@funnylugs, spot on, sadly

Thank you for your kind words.I did get awarded correctly second time (first award once correctly granted was for only 2 years) but only 5 year award whilst know others similar to me got 10 year awards.

that people should have their BB removed

@XenoBitch, what does BB stand for? Thank you. Awful man.

Sorry, it Blue Badge.

Sir Patrick Vallance is currently giving evidence that from as early as 2020 those in No 10 (Boris Johnson and his cabal) were resistant to the idea of long covid.

I bet they bloody were. Instead of attempting to learn his two-times table and how to read a graph (yes, really), Johnson was in denial about public health and the future economic impacts of a public health disaster.

And Vallance has shown Sunak to be a liar.

It's all very depressing that this is what passes for political leadership.

Two wrongs don't make a right. I think the government should crack down on businesses that evade tax but also on individuals that make fraudulent claims by blatantly lying about the responses they put down on UC claims. Too many people claim to live alone and get government help for housing but actually their partners and often fathers of their DC sleep over 4-5 nights a week or more. That's living together in my book.

If a person is truthful and only claims what they are entitled to and don't lie on their claim, they have nothing to fear. You can only be caught committing fraud if you are committing fraud. Same with workpeople and businesses if everything you earn you pay tax on you have nothing to fear from checks. Cheats shouldn't prosper.

You are conflating tax avoidance which is perfectly legal eg. putting money into an ISA to avoid paying tax on profit. Putting more money into a pension to stay under an earning cap for tax, with tax evasion which is not declaring correct profits to evade paying their taxes due.

Bank accounts will be monitored. As it is right now, bank accounts of claimants are only monitored if fraud is suspected.
All claimants will be treated as guilty until proven innocent. It is terrifying and a huge invasion of privacy.

Then people should only claim benefits if they are happy for checks made on their bank accounts. If they don't want the checks they should keep their human rights but not claim. I don't claim benefits but I'd have no problem the tax people checking my account to see I'm paying my taxes.

Believe it or not, many people do not have a choice when it comes to benefits. I am unable to work, so I am on UC. Am I meant to just live off of fresh air otherwise?

I had my bank account checked when I first claimed (to check I didn't not have savings etc). Why should I now be subject to monthly checks?

I don't see anything terrifying about it. I don't claim benefits but I wouldn't care if tax people wanted to check my bank account. It would only be terrifying if a person was claiming something to which they were not entitled. They won't be treated as guilty because if they were guilty they would be charged.

You will have a choice, claim benefits and agree to bank balance checks by an algorithm each month or stop claiming benefits. A person could inherit a lot of money, put it in the bank and still claim benefits as the system is now. If people do nothing wrong they have nothing to fear.

I don't have a choice. I can not live off of nothing.
I submitted to the initial check, but this new scheme is going to go down a slippery slope.. not just checking what is in my bank account, but what I am spending it on. Spend money on gas... fine. A tea in Costa... must be fraud!

@caringcarer It is terrifying for people on benefits to have their bank accounts monitored, even those who are not "on the fiddle" because the DWP have a history of making mistakes and incorrectly stopping people's benefits, then taking years to put things right. Although, if you've never had dealings with them you won't realise this. It's also terrifying for benefits claimants because we don't know, as yet, whether our outgoings will also be scrutinised. Will we get our benefits stopped if Aunty whoever sends us £30 for Christmas? Where will this end? If they are allowed to do this, then what will the next thing be? Just because we claim benefits we shouldn't be treated as second class citizens and have no rights to privacy.