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?

If he gets this car I think he'll become even more unbearable

If he has no physical issues @GreatAmberSnake he won't be getting the higher rate mobility component so won't qualify to lease a car from Motability. I hope that sets your mind at rest.

I am so sorry you have to endure his boasting about fraudulently claiming.

There are so many mumsnetters who have relatives/friends/neighbours/hairdressers/plumbers/sister's husband's cousin's wives who openly boast about defrauding the benefits system. It is quite astounding.

I think it’s wrong to grass on family, unless they’ve murdered someone. There’s something really insidious about it.

I do think it’s wrong to claim benefits fraudulently but personally I wouldn’t like myself if I did that to my own family. I couldn’t even do it to a neighbour.

Well exactly, multiply that by a few thousand people around the UK doing the same as the OPs cousin then it adds up to a tidy sum...

Another hoary post to encourage people to benefit bash the disabled. Well done op.

I've recently helped a teen transfer from dla to pip. The assessment was thorough and everything had to be evidenced. Lots of medical letters, reports and input from professionals. So I call bullshit on your post.

I think a 'few thousand' is wildly optimistic.

I wouldn't bank on it....

That's not necessarily true, it can be about the ability to navigate a journey from A to B my son is 14 and currently gets HRM under SMI rules
There is not a chance this is going ti change when he's 16 ,he can't walk anywhere on his own ,it would be impossible for him to get a bus ,he's completely non verbal
Obviously this is very different tinrhe,Ops cousin but depending on the extent of his mental health issues than in some cases people might get a HRM award for not bring able to get from A to B independently.

PIP fraud is 0.4% at a cost of £90m per year. Compare that to the £187m of PIP which goes unclaimed each year because people are too proud to claim, too frightened to to or simply can't bear the awful process of claiming it or the stigma attached to it.

But I will leave you to have fun bashing disabled people.

Mind your own business. You don't know the full circumstances around his claim.

I doubt if he would be investigated.

My neighbour has been claiming for 2 years on the basis that his depression and anxiety are so bad he cannot leave the house. He in fact leaves the house almost every day. He works cash in hand Monday to Friday and he also goes shopping, walks his dogs, goes out with his girlfriend.

I have reported him numerous times and nothing whatsoever has happened

So let them assess the case and decide if he is receiving the right benefits.

Benefits are there for people who GENUINELY need them or as a temporary measure to get back on your feet. Anyone abusing the system should have repercussions.

People should ALWAYS report anyone they suspect cheating the system.

Get a life

Report him, many people need/deserve pip and it’s such a delayed backlogged system with the neediest of society struggling while people like your cousin get away with it. Report him

Sorry ThisOldThang I totally misread your post!

Why not have the courage of your convictions and tell him you think he's a liar and a fraud next time he "brags"? Instead of anonymously and sneakily reporting your suicidal family member because you think he's lying (even though you don't know the ins and outs of his condition, his medical situation or the evidence he's been required to produce).

If you were actually concerned about fraud costing the taxpayer money, there are far far bigger fish to fry and causes that you could lend your time to. It's extremely difficult to get any kind of disability benefits, as anybody who has actually gone through the process for themselves or their children will know. If you have enough proof to be sure that you're correct and you genuinely feel you're doing the right thing, you don't need to be sneaky about it; tell your cousin and the rest of your family that you're reporting him.

Or maybe you have just swallowed all the propaganda about disabled people and benefits.

They have ALREADY assessed the claim and given him an award based on that assessment
But the Op who admits she knows nothing about PIP and doesn't like her cousin feels the rates are wrong.

@DazedDragon I don't think it's my business, how do I know how much help someone needs bathing in their own home? Unless I live in the same house and monitor their movements how can I be sure they're lying? I do not poke my nose into others financial affairs. Their loss won't be my gain.

Frankly I've better things to do with my life.

Dh's relative is also abusing the system, must've put all sorts of lies on his form to get PIP. I've just now seen a clip of him dancing away at a cruise disco. Dh who's in the top 0.1% of uk earners finds this a particularly bitter pill to swallow but won't report him.

Sick of how taxpayers Money is misappropriated when there is so much need.

3.6 million people in the UK receive pip. It is not "notoriously difficult" to access if 3.6 million people are managing it.

Just keep your beak out and ignore.

My DH get PIP. We spend it on booze n fans n a big telly. My DH fooled the silly DWP into thinking he has an incurable MND. So easy to fake. Suckers!

It really isn't - PIP not so much but housing benefit, CTR and SPD there is a lot of fraud. SPD is the most prevalent

Most claims are turned down. 53% I think.

Don't you believe it's op's cousin?

And the OP says it is a claim based on lies. There is no harm in reporting a potential false claim.

I'm a believer in karma, and those who lie and cheat in life will get what they deserve one day.