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?

He's already been assessed by PIP as being eligible for it it's just his cousin who.admits to not liking him and not knowing much about how PIP works has decided he.isnt eligible.

That makes no sense if you believe you are eligible for PIP than appeal
Somebody else eligibility makes no difference to your .,s

It sort of does because it’s due to the huge number of people claiming that the govt say they are going to slash benefits

You can get high rate mobility for anxiety and depression because you qualify on the causing overwhelming distress of undertaking a journey. You are also awarded points for not being able to complete a journey. If you then qualify for high rate mobility you can get a mobility car and a bus pass.

Sorry I believe there's two possibilities here

1. You're lying trying a bit of a new phenomenon rage bait.

Or and maybe the most plausible

1. He knows it winds some members of the family up so plays to it.

It's not easy to get, you need substantial amounts of traceable evidence so either he's worse than you think or gets less. And to be honest if he's lying to doctors, consultants, DWP staff and got them all to believe them I rather doubt he'd be stupid enough to shout about it from the rafters.

If, a big if, everything is exactly as you say I'd have to really hate someone to report them if I knew they were likely to be suicidal.

You can get a mobility car without any physical disabilities, overwhelming psychological distress and failure to complete a journey gives you enough points.

No it doesn’t. @x2boys is correct. Others fraudulently claiming does not at all prevent you from being awarded a genuine claim. Whether gov cuts benefits or not, if you qualify, you qualify. It’s not like there’s a maximum number of claims allowed and once the quota is full, that’s it 🤨🙄

Alright then 🙄

I think they might be removing Pip for mental health issues and changes to UC but this will be announced in the next few weeks.
Scary times

Report him. I have a young, degree educated relative who spends all his free time pushing for a PIP. He too has depression, which doesn’t stop him from enjoying black market jobs, cash in hand. He has been offered lots of MH support, but refuses to engage. Despicable.

If he refuses to engage with support and won't take meds they won't give PIP. They wiant to see you are doing everything you can and accessing all the support. Otherwise they will just claim that your struggles could be solved by meds and therapy.

Ok.

Report- I don't know why people say it is hard to get, I know several people who claim it and definitely shouldn't be entitled, one of them lives in my house. It is very very annoying to see especially when you work very hard and they get to sleep, order takeaways and game all day long.

Don’t bother. People who know how to work the system properly will never lose their benefits. They know what and how to say the required things to qualify for PIP. It will just cause you anxiety and nothing will come of it.

Until there is a complete overhaul of the benefits system (and I don’t believe there ever will be) a certain element of society will continue to scrounge. It’s a sad life though and I don’t envy them.

Rubbish, if the poster is eligible for PIP, they will be awarded no matter what others are getting. The Government has not even outlined exactly what they are going to be doing with PIP either, as yet.

I hope not. I know many people who claim PIP for MH reasons. They use it to fund things like private therapy.

They are about to.

No it’s doesn’t require medical evidence unfortunately

Good. Hopefully they will look at the quality of some of the people doing the assessments, leading to wrong awards, which people are then having to appeal, which is costing much more financially, for the mistakes that they keep making.

This is much needed. Getting a mobility car for anxiety and depression is a slap in the face to those who have actual mobility issues. And no I’m not talking about the thousands of middle aged women struck down by Fibromyalgia who suddenly appear to need a walking stick (and PIP)

YANBU. Report.

No idea but doubt this will be their main focus.

Other people getting a car does not affect you though.

It affects society as a whole. Our benefits system has turned thousands of people into lazy job shy home bodies while actual disabled people are paid a pittance.

PIP is not an out of work benefit.
And I see you now... you don't think MH issues warrant benefits, or that they can be disabling.