Should I report my cousin's benefit fraud?

[GreatAmberSnake]

Hi everyone - I'm having a bit of a moral dilemma and looking to get everyone's opinions.

My M34 cousin doesn't work, he claims PIP. I'm not that familiar with how it works but he says he's on the highest level available, and there's even talk of him getting given a car. He openly boasts at every opportunity about the extreme exaggerations and outright lies he put on his PIP application, and calls me and other members of the family idiots for working when we could just get our money from PIP like he does.

If they investigated him they would easily find that some of his lies don't add up. I believe he genuinely does have depression and anxiety, but he has no physical issues. He said he put things like his partner needs to dress him in the morning (he split from his partner a couple of years ago), needs to wear velcro shoes as he can't tie laces etc. A home visit would show up some of his lies, and a call to the school (he's a weekend Dad but sometimes picks up/drops off his sons) or the Police (he's been arrested for drug offences a couple of times) would be further proof.

The main thing stopping me from reporting him is his depression. He has attempted suicide on at least one occasion, and I fear that a potential prison sentence for fraud could send him into a spiral. Even if no-one found out it was me, I really don't want that on my conscience.

If he didn't boast all the time I would just ignore it, it's not like it affects me directly, but it just winds me up every time he goes on about. Grrrr!! I do try to minimise contact with him but sometimes it's easier said than done. If he gets this car I think he'll become even more unbearable 😡

Help! What would you do?

The PIP forms literally tell you not to send copies of medical records as evidence, you have to have specific written documents which talk about the various issues to qualify for the points.

A + E discharge letters won't work - the only time these maybe could be used is to demonstrate a number of flare ups for certain conditions.

They won't work as stand alone documents at all.

And she hssent transfered to PIP?

You have to be in receipt of Enhanced mobility to be able to apply for the car, in the first place. There are 2 levels for PIP, Standard, and Enhanced.

Yep. The cost is usually the whole of the mobility component of PIP. A deposit is also paid, often of a couple of thousand or more depending on the vehicle.

The car is never owned by the disabled person, it is the property of Motability and is handed back to them after three years.

Got no idea, why would I ask for an update?
Why is this so important to you? Genuinely asking?

There are still quite a significant number who haven't yet transferred to PIP yet they are now talking about changing the system again?

So an indefinite award of DLA for whiplash (as clearly had no reassessment in that time) AND hasn't been transferred over to PIP, despite being relatively young.

Right you are.

Because you claim she's on DLA the vast majority of adults will have transferred to PIP by now as it was introduced in 2013
I fund it hard to beleive somebody tells all and sundry about their fraudulent claims and thst they get HRM for whiplash

Even the word Benefits gets some frothing

Wonder when it all began ? This HATE ?
Used to simply be Social Security or would some, like the OP, like everyone back to the Workhouse days for those less fortunate in Life than themselves ?

Because it was revealed during the legal proceedings. I cannot give more details without outing myself.

Because it is one of many potential areas of doubt in your story. DLA for a fake whiplash injury for 20 years? Come off it. Also you don't seem to understand the relationship between PIP/DLA and "mobility" cars.

If I wrote what I really want to say to you and others on this thread I would be banned forever. As it is, I will leave you all to swap your tales.

I wish they would abolish PIP and replace it with something else. Far too many folk jumping on the bandwagon and genuine folk being refused.

So, you know everything about their medical history, do you? Interesting since most people don’t broadcast it to all and sundry. I knew someone who told someone else a load of lies to wind them up. They knew they were a spiteful busybody and lo and behold, a few weeks later they got a letter to say they’d been reported. I can’t bear nosy, spiteful twats as much, if not more, than I dislike fraudsters. Maybe learn to keep your beak out of other people’s business. ‘You know of’ someone, your wording tells me you don’t know them all that well.

There is talk of it being replaced soon. There is a green paper being issues in the spring and there are consultation forms which people can complete to express their thoughts on the new proposals. I completed one yesterday. the proposals have lots of focus on a better system, less re-assessments for long term conditions that are not going to get better, advocacy etc.

I thought the consultation hadn't opened yet? How can the gvt consult when the green paper (i.e. the consultation paper) hasn't been published yet?

Could you share a link please? Thanks.

Sorry it's not the government consultation but this is the link.
https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90797431/Public-Consultation-Proposal-for-an-additional-costs-disability-payment-P

Sorry hasn't linked properly, will look again.
Sorry it was an independent consultation . My mistake. It did have some interesting proposals though.

That's amazing. Are they close to pension age?

I thought everyone on DLA had been switched to PIP now, except for those nearing pension age whose claims will end soon anyway.

I work in welfare rights, and haven't done a DLA to PIP migration for literally years, at least 5 years. I must ask the rest of my team if they've done any.

I found it. They have actually made a statement about the consultation as there has been confusion about it

"Statement from the Commission on Social Security - 20th February 2025

There has been some misleading media coverage about our project's work so we want to be very transparent that we are an independent project that has been working since 2018 to put together alternative proposals for the social security system, shaped by people who have experience using it. We have no link to the government or the DWP.

We are extremely upset and concerned that this misleading coverage has added to people’s concerns about the future of PIP. Everyone involved in this project has experience of the social security system and we know very well the harm and distress it can cause.

We are also aware of the increase in inaccurate articles and headlines over the past few years which only add to the fear, confusion and distress around social security. The last thing we would ever want is for our work to become part of that and it has been very alarming to see how our consultation has been misrepresented and created further concern.

Edited as got posters mixed up!

So many confused opinions on here. If he had a previous suicide attempt then he would qualify on the basis of him being at future risk of serious harm from the distress caused by certain activities. The thing with mental health conditions is that they can fluctuate - so he might go through times of being (relatively) well then go through an episode again. The reality is you don't know exactly what evidence he submitted to get granted PIP and since the bar is very high I would leave him alone.

People love to perpetuate the bogeyman of fraudulent disability claims which mostly just has the effect of stigmatising disabled people. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but people can lie and deceive in all areas of life to claim advantages.

You should report him but I probably wouldn't. Not if he's been suicidal in the past. He sounds like a pain in the arse but I'd leave it and just avoid him.

Your brother needs an appointee, who could then apply on his behalf. He shouldn't miss out because he is unable to apply.

You're right. The fraudsters are what makes it harder for people such as yourself to claim and are also why there are repeated crackdowns that cause people like you stress.

I've known people who played football at weekends on disability benefit as it was then openly bragging about the fools going to work whilst they stay at home. such types just make everything harder for you.

I know. He's even scared of using an appointee as he is sure that the system will still need to speak to him and he cannot face it. This is the issue when dealing with extreme mental health issues. I suggest things, and found a charity to help him as i understand he might not want me knowing eveything, but you can see him shutting down and I can't push as I know he's been suicidal with everything he has to endure, including pain and a cocktail of prescription drugs.

Most of his physical and almost all his MH issues have come following life threatening sepsis and 7 days in ICU in an induced coma 5 years ago.

I know some people.will say "you can't help some people" but it's difficult to watch whilst knowing he isn't able to think like we do. It's sad a system designed to help cannot identify these people and give them an easier ride as his doctor and nurse practitioners have mentioned them supporting him making a claim too. There will me more than enough evidence if only we could get to that point with him.

I'll try again.