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AIBU?

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Original poster

Have I committed fraud?

586 replies

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 12:25

I am a single mum to three.

I have a UC review and bank statements are due.
I have three bank accounts and two I have not declared.
The two bank accounts I have not declared get child maintenance paid in from my children’s dads, respectively.
I have not had any other income apart from the maintenance and some help from my dad sometimes.
i transfer money between all three.
Two bank accounts are in my birth name, the third is in my middle name.

Am I in trouble when I declare them?

I only have UC, child benefit into the one I have declared.
i have child maintenance into one bank account and another child maintenance into the other bank account.

Shall I include 6 month statement for all three?

OP posts:
Lightuptheroom · 13/12/2025 20:33

No it isn't! Child Maintenance is NOT included for the calculation of universal credit. David Cameron's government decided , basically because no parent can be forced to pay maintenance and amounts can vary hugely. OP all you have to do is make sure UC are aware of all accounts

Bromptotoo · 13/12/2025 20:37

Grendel7 · 13/12/2025 20:27

Yes you committing fraud.All money has to be declared,you may not even be entitled to UC.

Show quote history

Why post this when you clearly do not understand basics like the definition of fraud or how UC works.

Whatsthatsheila · 13/12/2025 20:41

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 12:29

I thought that child maintenance was disregarded.
Will I get into trouble for this? There are no savings, every penny is spent every month.

Child maintenance is disregarded but misrepresenting your income by wilfully hiding bank accounts will not be looked at favourably. If you have nothing to hide then declare them all

Perhaps say you genuinely made a mistake as it’s just CMS and you can provide all statements going back to whenever but it’s come to your attention you should declare all. How old are the kids

TheFormidableMrsC · 13/12/2025 20:52

Gingerwolfe · 13/12/2025 19:24

ah ok, so there’s no problem with her not declaring the two bank accounts?

Show quote history

Not if they are just used for receipt of child maintenance.

Roseuk90 · 13/12/2025 20:54

A welfare advisor just helped my friend to.apply for Uc and she said to my friend you only need to declare savings not all accounts. I don't think you've committed fruad if nothing is left and you have no savings above the savings limit

NDFB · 13/12/2025 20:56

I don't believe you are disclosing everything to us. The reason being that, you say that you have been transferring funds between the three accounts. That alone will trigger U.C./DWP to ask for the bank statements of all the accounts that they see on there as having been transferred to/from. So you must have had to have provided bank statements to U.C. for every account that you have transferred to or from.

TheMeatyDrop · 13/12/2025 21:08

Similar situation so this is based on real life experience @Boxedin2431

Pla read the document on the link, it's a gov doc. See H1099 about legal & beneficial owners of capital as per UC considerations. CM is the capital of the child, you may be viewed as the legal owner but you are not the beneficial owner of the CM money unless you use it towards yourself. If you seperate it off from your own money & you can show it's used only for the kids benefit it will be disregarded (I save all the CM for each of my children ready for when they turn 18 to support them when CM stops, they each have a reasonable balance but as the money hasn't come from me and it's not for my benefit it isn't taken into account as part of my overall balance).

GOV.UK https://share.google/drPB07YKQNqaR52PL

You just need to tidy up your finances, move the kids CM into their own savings accounts that are held in their name to show it's their money. CM is not paid by the non-resident parent for the resident parent to live off, UC know this.

Be clear on any changes you make as you reorganise your accounts & move money. Keep records & any calcs used.

BTW, UC usually ask for past 12 months bank statements, not 6. So it could be worth ordering them from the banks involved as they can take a while to arrive.

Try not to worry, you are not the first person in this situation. I was there before you, it will be ok if you get your finances organised / get your head around the jargon / be transparent with UC. Good luck.

ThistleTits · 13/12/2025 21:16

@Boxedin2431 Best to declare them. If you have more than £6.000, you may have to pay back some UC. Over £16k might be an issue. The names should be ok, unless it's deliberately used to commit fraud.
Is child maintenance deducted from UC?

They are reviewing everyone seemingly.

ThistleTits · 13/12/2025 21:20

Chiseltip · 12/12/2025 12:33

Yes. You have committed benefit fraud.

You are looking at sanctions, a repayment schedule and possibly a criminal investigation.

You can't conclude that from her information. Just being a nasty bstd, pathetic.

Gherkinslice · 13/12/2025 21:21

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 12:25

I am a single mum to three.

I have a UC review and bank statements are due.
I have three bank accounts and two I have not declared.
The two bank accounts I have not declared get child maintenance paid in from my children’s dads, respectively.
I have not had any other income apart from the maintenance and some help from my dad sometimes.
i transfer money between all three.
Two bank accounts are in my birth name, the third is in my middle name.

Am I in trouble when I declare them?

I only have UC, child benefit into the one I have declared.
i have child maintenance into one bank account and another child maintenance into the other bank account.

Shall I include 6 month statement for all three?

Yes you need to delare them all. But Child Maintenance is disregarded unless the total of all your bank statements added together is more than 16k. You wouldnt get any UC if it was. If its between 6k - 16k they will deduct some accordingly.

XenoBitch · 13/12/2025 21:25

ThistleTits · 13/12/2025 21:16

@Boxedin2431 Best to declare them. If you have more than £6.000, you may have to pay back some UC. Over £16k might be an issue. The names should be ok, unless it's deliberately used to commit fraud.
Is child maintenance deducted from UC?

They are reviewing everyone seemingly.

CM is not deducted from UC, no. It is disregarded.

I have known people wo have had 2 reviews by now. I have not had one (yet) but I would be straight forward as my only income is UC and the odd bit from my mum and DP (mainly when they want something from Prime). I am more worried about being asked what I have been buying. AFAIK they are not meant to be asking that as it does not matter but many people have reported them being really intrusive. Some funny advice I saw was to buy stuff from Love Honey, and when asked, tell them in explicit detail what you bought Grin

TattyBluebell · 13/12/2025 21:36

Child Maintenance is disregarded.
I'm in the same position as you. I decided not to declare an account. I've absolutely no idea why as it didn't put me over the threshold anyway! Really stupid of me, I know, I just genuinely didn't think it would count as it made no difference to my claim. A silly mistake, I know!
But yep, they will be all over you now and want to know everything. They will want six months of bank statements from each account and you'll probably have a phone interview with them.
Thats what happened to me anyway!
As long as you're not hiding anything then all will be fine.
You have to declare absolutely everything. If you don't they will find out about it anyway!
Better to just tell them.

Girlmum1995 · 13/12/2025 21:37

Boxedin2431 · 12/12/2025 12:32

What will happen do you think? It is child maintenance paid every month, the same amount, from my children’s dad.

Nothing will happen, they will make a note of the other accounts and might ask why you didn’t declare them, all you need to say if you forgot to. Child maintenance isn’t taken into consideration. I had a review I receive £600 per month child maintenance and they didn’t even question it

Heartbreaksally · 13/12/2025 21:42

It will make no difference if there are no savings in them and you can prove this. Send in the statements. You're allowed multiple bank accounts as long as you arent over the savings threshold.

Chinsupmeloves · 13/12/2025 21:56

CM is disregarded so I don't understand why you've hidden the extra accounts. Just come clean, the worry isn't worth it. Xx

GMV42 · 13/12/2025 22:36

You need to supply 4 or 6 months worth of statements. As you transfer between all accounts you will need to declare all. An advisor will call you and let you know what you need to get ready. They will ask you to submit all the evidence needed via your journal. Once your evidence has been looked at they will arrange another interview with you and go through everything/ask questions etc.
I hope that helps. Don’t worry. Even if for any reason you are doing something they aren’t happy with you will be able to get it sorted. I wish you all the best, just don't try to hide anything from them.

Gingerwolfe · 13/12/2025 22:54

Kirbert2 · 13/12/2025 18:07

They ask for the details of the bank you want your payment to go in. At the review, she'll be able to add her other bank accounts.

She isn't stealing anything.

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Why not be upfront and tell them straight hut away instead of causing yourself stress and worry.

Rachie1973 · 13/12/2025 23:18

I can’t believe the spite and misinformation on here!

Nothing will happen OP. They’ll say ‘ok, just send us the details’ and that’ll be it.

My UC claim I just bought up my bank screen on my phone and that was that.

Bromptotoo · 13/12/2025 23:52

Rachie1973 · 13/12/2025 23:18

I can’t believe the spite and misinformation on here!

Nothing will happen OP. They’ll say ‘ok, just send us the details’ and that’ll be it.

My UC claim I just bought up my bank screen on my phone and that was that.

I can't believe the spite and stupidity either but it's endemic whenever people seek reassurance about UC etc.

I'd like MN to 'firewall' benefit questions and make clear that trolling or judgemental crap will not be tolerated with persistent offenders kicked off the site.

XenoBitch · 13/12/2025 23:55

Bromptotoo · 13/12/2025 23:52

I can't believe the spite and stupidity either but it's endemic whenever people seek reassurance about UC etc.

I'd like MN to 'firewall' benefit questions and make clear that trolling or judgemental crap will not be tolerated with persistent offenders kicked off the site.

Show quote history

I would like to see that too, especially if they post on the money board. But people are still judgemental there too.

This is why I always say to post on Reddit about benefits. More accurate, kinder, and the twats get their comments zapped.

Coco1379 · 14/12/2025 00:02

Yes.

XenoBitch · 14/12/2025 00:04

Coco1379 · 14/12/2025 00:02

Yes.

No they haven't. It has been explained loads here already.

Bernardo1 · 14/12/2025 00:43

Yes!

CurlewKate · 14/12/2025 03:05

Yes, you have.

putini · 14/12/2025 05:52

You're clearly worried so if you're looking for compassion this is probably not the place to come. These women here just love kicking other woman down. Rest assured your UC will not be impacted by any child maintenance you receive.