To ask if you've ever reported somebody for benefit fraud

[Fragmentedbrain]

And if the DWP subsequently came for them

And there is a myth that you can't have a partner stay over for more than 3 days a week. I had a Google about this and there is no limit at all. It is more about sharing living costs etc.

When a colleague acted for a client in an appeal against an alleged cohabitation decision, the tribunal asked things like where did the partner keep their clothes, did they have a tv licence, what address was his car registered at, how often they ate their evening meal together, who did the laundry and all sorts of everyday stuff.

Part of the DWP evidence was that the boyfriend's dog regularly stayed overnight at the client's flat. She had the dog overnight quite regularly because her partner often worked nights! They also gave dates that the partner had taken the client's kids to school and picked them up. The dates in question were when the client had been in hospital and then recovering from surgery.

I reported someone for people trafficking, bogus marriages, grooming a relative of mine for money and absolutely nothing was done, ever!

But there are countless posts on MN about wanting to report people for benefit fraud when they do not have all the facts. Many people think you can't have a boyfriend stay over if you are on UC, or you can't work if you are on UC, or you can only claim PIP if you are having 100% bad days.

I said in a PP about someone I know who has substantial savings in Premium Bonds. How would I report that? The only evidence I have is her talking about it. Shaky evidence at best, so I have not bothered. I hope the reviews people are going through will catch her.

Your report places her on their radar more quickly which could do the country and ultimately her a favour (less to repay and potentially less chance of being prosecuted). They could easily prove or disprove your claims using data matching. It's one of the easiest types of reports to investigate.

Most of the scammers in this country are the politicians with funds in Panama, and the ones claiming for their families as admin staff. And the second homes, which they cash in on retirement. The big companies not paying tax.

These are police matters. Why would you report them to the DWP?

That is awful that your client had to go through all of that.

My DP has nothing here at all. He lives a 5 min walk away so no need. He did shower at mine when he was having issues with his boiler. But I have read online that the DWP have questioned why someone who lived so close would need to stay over. I mean, I can think of a few reasons

Not when they look at your bank account and try to figure out what you are living on, especially if there has been a change of pattern. You need to be buying food, petrol, paying bills etc from your earned income.

Ahhh I see. Hadn't thought of that.

Paying cash in hand isn't illegal. Cash is legal tender.

It is up to the cash recipient to declare the earnings to HMRC.

Conspiring to pay cash to avoid VAT is obviously illegal, but not all traders will be VAT registered - they probably won't meet the threshold in poorer parts of the country.

Anybody that is VAT registered is automatically at a 20% disadvantage when quoting for work, compared to a competitor that isn't VAT registered. It's a stupid system that penalises tradesmen/tradeswomen for doing things legitimately.

I can only assume that the people equating paying cash to deliberate benefit fraud are fraudsters that are attempting to justify their behaviour.

'So what if I'm stealing £40k a year from the taxpayers next door, the husband does the occasional job for cash to avoid breaching the VAT threshold and that's much worse, don't you know.'

I can only assume that the people equating paying cash to deliberate benefit fraud are fraudsters that are attempting to justify their behaviour

As I said, I don’t even get child benefit so certainly not defrauding any one of anything. I never have, as I earned over the threshold before having my first child.
My point really was that you see multiple threads a week about reporting people for benefit fraud, but I’ve been on MN for 15 years and can’t recall seeing many threads (if any?) about reporting people for tax evasion. The end result is the same… less money in the pot for the government to spend on vital services and to provide a safety net for those genuinely in need. As I have also said repeatedly upthread, I don’t know anyone who is committing or has committed benefit fraud. I have a family member who really should be getting PIP but she’s too proud to apply as she doesn’t want to be ‘a burden on the state’.
I know many self employed people who are open about doing whatever they can to avoid paying tax on their income.

I did report an ex boss for tax evasion and vat fraud. I have never started a thread about it though as it was many many years ago.

Almost every person i know who is claiming some kind of benefit or UC is doing so fraudulently. Not declaring they have a partner who works full time, exaggerating illnesses for PIP etc! I don’t report any of them because i think its disgusting that the government allows big companies to pay wages so low that people need to claim benefits to have a decent standard of living!

Despite having reported someone for benefit fraud, I actively disagree with this. I've only ever seen a couple of people do it fraudulently.

I have a friend on PIP. I think she exaggerates her illness BUT I do know that on her worst days, she is as ill as she claims. Which is what I think PIP is for.

IMO, it is SO hard to get benefits now that it's very very hard to play the system.

Not benefit fraud, but I’ve reported someone for not declaring crypto gains. Around £50k. This is on the back of them taking massive amounts of cash out of their business tax free and getting away with it. Pleading poverty but going on luxury holidays and renovating their house constantly. Was so fed up of them only contacting my DH when they wanted something that I snapped and reported. Pay tax like everyone else!

I’m certainly not exaggerating any of my illnesses. I had to go to MR to get anything.

One of my friend’s ex girlfriends claims thousands of pounds of UC even though she gets £10k a month in child maintenance from her exh. I know legally she can claim but I find it morally abhorrent. I know some might say ‘well what if he stopped paying, then she would need the UC’ but he is v v wealthy and that’s unlikely to happen.

I also know people exaggerating their illnesses to get PIP but on the other hand, I couldn’t get it when I was too ill to work and I know many others like me too so I guess there are swings and roundabouts!

@OSTMusTisNT do you think there'd ever be a government amnesty for this? To give people the chance to have a clean slate if its under a certain value. Like they do with illegal knives and weapons?

How do you know so much about other people's finances and health? I mean you're not at their medical appointments nor are you able to see what they wrote on their pip form

My neighbour has been claiming universal credit for just over 2 years for supposedly having such bad depression and anxiety that he cannot leave his house meaning he can't work.

He in fact leaves his house almost every day as he works cash in hand for another neighbour. He also leaves his house to go shopping, walk his dogs, go out with his girlfriend etc.

So claiming benefits he is not entitled to and lying about being unable to work plus not paying tax or national insurance on his cash in hand money

I have reported him numerous times but nothing happens.

Would be interested to know how someone takes lots of cash out of a business without declaring it. As someone who has been seft employed for a long time and who also prepares company accounts I have no idea how this would be possible.

No, But I have been reported for...
a) claiming as a single person when my boyfriend was living with me (he wasn't)
b) still claiming PIP when my medical condition/mobility had significantly improved (I wasn't)

My benefits were stopped while this was investigated causing me financial hardship and extreme stress. (cheers ex-husbands mother)

I have no problem with people reporting fraudulent behaviour if they are absolutely 100% certain of the facts and not just going on what they've been told (even by the person claiming the benefits)

The 'On your worst days' clause is just a godsend for fraudsters, isn't it.

'You might have seen me loving life at Chessington World of Adventure, down the pub, out clubbing, etc, but on the two days a month that I didn't leave the house it was due to my crippling anxiety.'

I think previously the prevailing advice was to fill in the forms in based on people's worst days but this is now explicitly not allowed and it is supposed to be about an average day. A lot of people though still describe their worst day because they know that detailing an average day would lead to their claim being rejected. A lot of people have got used to claiming PIP and believe that the threshold for claiming it is that you have additional struggles compared to a healthy person. Over 40% of the population has a chronic conditions that may well be impacting their day to day life. We can't afford to pay everyone PIP that has health issues.

I saw a thread recently where someone with a child with dyslexia was encouraged to apply for DLA despite the fact that they clearly didn't have have significant additional care or mobility needs. It was felt that the state should be equalising the impact of the dyslexia for the parents financially. Again, this just isn't practical. If you have a child that is less bright and needs tutoring or wants contact lenses when they hit their teens or Invisalign braces then a parent has to shell out for these things even though there are parents that have children with perfect teeth, eyesight or are smart enough not to need tutoring. We are all born with our unique set of advantages and disadvantages. There is clearly a point where the disadvantages are so great that the state has to step in to help but this isn't necessarily when parents would like it to happen.

Anybody can apply ,and I have seen people in the Facebook DLA group I'm in apply for some very tenuous reasons, it doesn't mean they will be awarded though .