To report friend for fraud?

[Bbttrr]

NC as outing.

Friend "A" is working cash in hand whilst claiming benefits. Flaunts her outings, holidays, purchases etc online constantly. Openly advertises her cash in hand work on social media. Claims a healthy sum each month in benefits whilst living in a 1/4+ mil house.

Would IBU to report her?

The thread is obviously ridiculous but there's a large chunk of the UK population who don't live in the south East. It's perfectly possible to buy a nice 5 bedroom house in many places for less than £1/4 million 😁
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/find.html?sortType=&searchLocation=Bishop%20Auckland%2C%20County%20Durham&useLocationIdentifier=true&locationIdentifier=REGION%5E163&countryCode=GB&radius=10.0&primaryDisplayPropertyType=detachedshouses&minBedrooms=5&maxBedrooms=5&minPrice=220000&maxPrice=250000&maxDaysSinceAdded=&_includeSSTC=on&retirement=&newHome=&partBuyPartRent=&_propFeature=on&_propFeature=on

@Gorgonemilezola How can people be unaware that house prices are different around the country. Heck, some have hardly seen any growth in the last few decades. And I say that as a 2nd gen immigrant Londoner who hasn’t travelled round the UK that much!

Fascinated to know where this 5 bed detached 250K house is.

ETA Thanks @Gorgonemilezola !

Yes they know all the ins and outs yet don't know what their own husband earns😂

@Uricon2 it's not that unusual up north. Try Cleveland or parts of County Durham

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/140890865

Surely trickle down economics mean we all see the benefit of this persons spending ?

We had an entire "fiscal event" predicated on it 2 years ago.

That's not true at all, as people continue to grt away with it, they start getting all blasé about it, and they do start sharing details with others.

I would say a large percentage of the cases I've investigated are because people can't keep quiet and start showing off.

Thanks! Might buy this then 😅

Holding my hands firmly up to really only knowing South East prices… which are bordering on criminal! 😳 Consider me schooled

As others have said:

a) you’re not her friend
b) claiming benefits and working are not mutually exclusive
c) why and how do so many people on these posts/thread know so much about the incomes of their friends and acquaintances? I know nothing about the incomes of people I know other than my husband

TBH on MN ‘friend’ often means something more like ‘acquaintance’.

Anyone posting like the OP nearly always gets told to MYOB, but if I knew for certain that someone was committing benefit fraud, I’d report them.

Someone will now tell me that the number of cases are incredibly small, but I can never see that argument. By definition, the only cases definitely known of, are those which have already been proved. And if most people are like those on here who say MYOB, there are probably a good many that go unreported, let alone investigated by very likely insufficient staff.

Would you rather she lived in a tent?
She's not trying to hide it so she'll be found out soon enough. If she's working for an employer it's them you should report to HMRC.
But what proof to you actually have other than social media. Some people do lie on there you know?
I certainly wouldn't report anyone unless they had wronged me very very severely. I wouldn't do it out of jealousy.

Personally I would actually. I mean it's massively nosey and probably a dick move and I wouldn't ask this place for permission.
Is there some kind of quick whistle blower thing online? I probably would just find it grating and put her name forward for investigation.
I strongly agree with the benefits system and people cheating it I take personally,
However, you won't get much help from anyone on here. I think do what you think is right and don't ask Mumsnet to sense check your morals.

@PureBoggin it is 1/4 of a million though?

@Bbttrr i’d focus on my own life personally

Would you rather she lived in a tent?

Why are the options only current house or a tent?

Do it. Some people milk the system. Hard working, honest people have to pay for them, so don't feel guilty. You're supporting her lifestyle.

Friend or not.

I pay my employee cash in hand. It is all above board, my accountant runs her payroll and it is in our annual accounts 🤷🏻‍♀️
She also gets UC, that too is above board, she has given them her pay slips.

Sometimes things aren't always as they seem.

No. People who take government money to subsidise paying their employees below minimum wage whilst increasing their own wealth substantially, people find smart ways to move their millions of pounds around to avoid paying tax, companies who use U.K. resources and tax avoidance schemes and people that took millions of pounds to provide the government with non-existent ppe are the real benefit cheats.

If you've got the guts to stand face to face with your so called friend in front of your friendship group, look her in the eye and tell her what you've done, then absolutely go for it. Report her knowing you've got the moral high ground.

However if you plan to dob her in on the sly, then keep schtum when the fallout hits, nah, fuck off.

I understand you OP. I made friends with a mum from school since our children liked playing together. I really liked her and over a glass of wine she spilled the beans about her only paying 200£ per month for a newly constructed 3 bedroom appartment because she gets housing benefits for her and her two DC. She works full time but only declares part time (cash in hand) and her boyfriend works cash in hand only so they get lots of benefits. That explained how to me her quite extravagant spending and outings. I was irked because we hardly ever go to a restaurant because my DH works and I'm a Sahm (SEN DC).

Some benefits are non-means tested.

Report. You have nothing to lose.

How do you know she hasn't registered as self employed and doesn't declare her income??
I'm self-employed and do to the nature of what I do, I get paid in cash and I'm not above VAT level. I record and declare every penny in both income and expenses and am still entitled to UC (I'm just starting out, hoping to earn enough to come off in next couple years). I also advertise my business all over SM.

Just fkin report her, why even look for the justification from mumsnet. It's obviously bugging you, so do what you want and stop thinking about it

So many criminals and criminal-apologists on mumsnet. You see them in threads like this. Who knows what other crimes they or someone they know commit and they don't "grass"?!

Yes criminals also include the fools in govt who evade tax - it's not one or the other.