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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to shop someone who is screwing the benefits system?

101 replies

ilikeyoursleeves · 25/03/2010 20:13

Not sure what to do here but this situation is making me increasingly angry. My sister and her DP don't work and both are taking the benefits system for a complete ride. My sister has barely ever worked consistently (she usually lasts a few months before she chucks it), even though she is totally capable of it. My parents have doled her out lots of times and now she is with her DP who pays for everything (from money he mainly gets from his mum, even though he is in his mid 40's). My sister however continues to claim benefits and apparantly has kept on her old council flat and gets income that way (I have no idea how though, I only heard that through her DP when they had temporarily separated last year). She has that benefits entitlement syndrome going on eg, I asked her if she was returning to work after her having her DD and her reply was 'Why should I?'.

Her DP has been off his work for months now with a 'shoulder & back injury' that he got from working on roadworks. He has applied for compensation and says he is hoping to get at least £100k . If his injury was 100% genuine then fair enough, but for months he has been doing manual work on the sly, throwing his DD up in the air, doing housework and apparantly he is now working on a building site for cash in hand! He gloats all the time that his court case is coming up and how much money he might get, with a wink as he knows he is taking the system for a ride.

I have been an honest taxpayer for my whole working life and TBH I am getting to seething point about my sister and her DP. DH and I work, and have always worked, and I just think why are we doing this while others squeeze the state dry when they don't need to! I just think it would be so unfair if they get money that would take us years to earn, from them talking absolute bullshit and being totally dishonest.

So I am tempted so say something to someone but don't know who.

What do you think I should do?

OP posts:
morejuiceplease · 25/03/2010 20:17

I would. And I'd let the people he's suing know as well.

mumoffraser · 25/03/2010 20:17

I personally wouldn't think twice about shopping them even if it was my family.

MorrisZapp · 25/03/2010 20:19

I would shop them but only if I had proof.

ilovemydogandmrobama · 25/03/2010 20:23

No, don't.

cakeywakey · 25/03/2010 20:25

Hmmmm, these are always tricky ones. You can shop benefit cheats to your local council anonymously, but you need to be prepared for the potential fall-out and that things could get quite tricky for your sister and her family.

If the council prosecutes - which they are more likely to do nowadays, especially in cases where large amounts of money are involved - they will have to pay back any benefits they have overclaimed, may well be fined and made to paid court costs, and could even be tagged or sent to prison.

The potential subletting of the council flat will also go down verrry badly. The government is running an anti-subletting campaign at the moment. It's not fair when there are people on housing waiting lists for homes to be sublet for profit by the people who are meant to be living in them.

TBH they're better off being caught sooner rather than later - the more they overclaim the worse things will be for them. But you need to be sure you could live with the guilt and potential fallout if they suspect you tipped the council off if you do it.

NinthWave · 25/03/2010 20:28

If you wanted to shop them, you'd be best calling the Benefit Fraud Hotline (Google for the number). Their money won't stop immediately - the DWP etc would need proof, I think - but an investigation would be opened and if there is enough evidence to take them to court then they would be prosecuted.

Tiredmumno1 · 25/03/2010 20:33

Mmmm not sure where i stand on this one. I look at it both ways, people seem to find being on benefits easier to live so why not get as much as you can if you can, as it is pretty hard to live with all the high prices. On the other hand its obviously going to annoy us knowing people are doing it and abusing the system. However why should they get in trouble for it if the mp's dont, when they stick their big fat hands in the tax payers piggy bank. Remember the saying whats good for the goose is good for the gander.

gingernutlover · 25/03/2010 20:39

yanbu shop them to both benefits and whoever he is suing

if it was a little bit of cash in hand cleaning to buy childrens school shoes for example then i would sya no, butif this is all true they are both committing fraud by subletting the flat and by suing for an injory which is exagerated.

hatesponge · 25/03/2010 20:40

OP, you should report this not just to DWP, but more importantly to the insurers dealing with the compensation claim (although they may already have their suspicions). This is blatant fraud.

If your sister's DP pursues his compensation claim through the courts and he is found to have been deliberately lying about and/or exaggerating his symptoms under oath, he will be guilty of perjury; the judge has the ability to refer such cases for further criminal investigation/prosecution. That's in addition to any steps the DWP will take.

StrictlyKatty · 25/03/2010 20:40

I'd report them. Why wouldn't you? They are committing a crime, if you knew someone had committed a murder you would hesitate so why do people think others should get away with massive fraud???

FiveGoMadInDorset · 25/03/2010 20:43

They are committing fraud so yes.

usualsuspect · 25/03/2010 20:46

I would never in a million years shop my sister...

NinthWave · 25/03/2010 20:58

Tiredmumno1 I'm not sure I agree with that argument. Yes the cost of living is high, but that's not an excuse to go burgling people for a living - so why should it be an excuse for fraud?

And MPs who made fraudulent claims were made to pay them back - some lost their jobs as a result, so hardly got away with it!

Lolbilly · 25/03/2010 21:04

YANBU to shop someone in this situation and I'd be really irritated by it but not sure I could shop my sister and see her live with the possible repercussions.

stoppinattwo · 25/03/2010 21:08

I wouldnt tbh...but I would tell my sister to get off her arse and get a job or you will tell benefits that she is living with her DP and her DP that if he carries on with his claim you will send the insurance company video footage to prove there is nothing wrong with him...

You will fall out with them either way but at least this was they wont go to jail for fraud

MorrisZapp · 25/03/2010 21:09

Daft argument imo that you should cheat the system if the MPs do, unless of course you think that citizens are like children and MPs are the mums and dads.

MPs and citizens alike, the expenses they take come from taxpayers ie us.

And MPs haven't got away with it, they have had a total thrashing as you might have seen in the press.

messymissy · 25/03/2010 21:10

trouble is that if you do shop them and they are prosecuted and have to pay back the money - who will suffer?

sounds like it wont be them, but your parents who are already doling out money to them and your sisters dp's mum.

maybe you should speak to your parents and get them to stop abetting their lifestyle. Feel sorry for the mums here as its so difficult to say no to your kids whatever their ages.

Tiredmumno1 · 25/03/2010 21:10

Ninthwave - i hardly think that if they lost their jobs it does not come anywhere close to going to prison, which is what could happen.

I wasnt trying to put an argument over, just merely pointing out both ways each party would like at their situation

Original poster
ilikeyoursleeves · 25/03/2010 21:14

The fact that she is my sister doesn't matter to me, probably because we aren't close in the slightest and she has just taken everyone for a ride her whole life. I grew up with her lying all the time so it's not really a surprise that she & DP are doing this. I'm just angry that they have this entitlement belief and they are knowingly committing fraud, trying to freely get the money that all the hard working tax payers earn!

I don't know the details of anything though so not sure what I can do. I know the name of the company he is suing but can't remember the actual details of his 'injury'. I don't know what benefits my sister is claiming as I haven't asked her directly. As I said before, her DP told me about all that when they had fallen out. If I ask her directly I know she will deny anything. My dad said people were trying to get hold of her though for money she owed, I have no idea what happened though. My family don't talk about anything as you can tell!

OP posts:
SugarMousePink · 25/03/2010 21:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zapostrophe · 25/03/2010 21:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Tiredmumno1 · 25/03/2010 21:16

I meant look

Tiredmumno1 · 25/03/2010 21:19

Just do what you feel is the right thing for you to do. It really is up to you, maybe think about it for a couple of days, and you still feel the same, then do it, i would even help with the form

EdgeofReason · 25/03/2010 21:42

SHOP THEM SHOP THEM SHOP THEM. Sounds like the typical scroungers that I'm adding to the countries coffers for by working crazy hours to keep a career, Would shop my granny for screwing ME - cos lest we forget that's exactly who they're screwing

MillyMollyMoo · 25/03/2010 21:44

I would try and talk to them and appeal to their better nature first, they'll know it's somebody close to them that has shopped them, are you ready for the fall out ?

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