Benefits and saving account and property abroad

[sorrynamechanged]

I have a friend. She moved to the UK one year ago and i helped them in the process of moving, helping them dealing with estate agent, explaining what the NIN was, choosing best broadband etc.
The husband has found a job in a shop while she goes to clean a house once a week.
I have always thought they worked hard.

However i have just been told that they take benefits (at least council tax discount and child tax benefits, plus of course, child benefits).
The problem is that I know they have a foreign saving account (at least 20 thousand euros) in their home country and a house rented that earns money.
I am completely furious.

I have never applied for benefits so i do not know how it works, but weren't they asked to declare they had not any other property abroad? Does the HMRC checks everyone' s foreign accounts before giving themoney?
So annoyed and disappointed.

Serf - Yes I kind of agree. I see a lot of this kind of fraud from immigrants from the EU - one lady told me the other day it was hard maintaining one house in Romania and one here and were there any benefits to help ? . Another had been working here 3 years and hadn't paid a penny in tax because ' no-one told him he needed to ' !!

It's hard to know what is genuine ignorance or problems with the language or understanding the benefits system . I think our benefits system does have a general reputation amongst some communities for being very generous and so they might not question things or see it as fraud. Very frustrating I know . Does your friend understand English well and would be able to understand the rules on a form or application ?

Yes, she would.

It's probably nearly impossible to detect this kind of thing when it's cross-border.

Exactly Serf -Unless they declare it then it would be near impossible to check every claim.

Roll on Brexit !!

Brexit will not make any difference.

Do you think free movement and access to benefits will remain unchanged ?

This is a bit off-topic but since you asked...I think things will not change for people that are here.
Also I think brexit will not make.any difference as many benefit frauds are done by uk citizens and commonwealth citizens...

UK citizens and commonwealth citzens can also easily hold assets abroad.

Yes, hence Brexit will not change anything to that huge part of frauds

I agree that Brexit is a side issue.

Globalisation and people emigrating and emigrating again at the drop of a hat is what gives HMRC the specific headache about undeclared overseas assets. No idea how they tackle that.

Are you from the same home country OP?

Yes, been in the uk for 18years and I have found out about benefits thanks to "my friend" lol!
I did not know it was so easy for people to get them. I find it crazy .

An old friend from the same background sometimes holds more sway than a new one. Maybe you could have a word?

It is very easy for people from EU countries to get benefits but not so for non EU immigrants.

There is no savings limits for tax credits because tax credits were not " benefits" pre Tory government.

There is no savings limits for tax credits because tax credits were not " benefits" pre Tory government
Whether they are benefits or not it is ridiculous that someone with £100,000 ibn the bank can get them as long as they keep their money in a low interest account.

What about universal credits? Do the savings count?

Yes . You cannot make a Universal credit claim if you have savings above 16k. Anything above 6k - 16k and your money decreases by a certain amount.

Although I guess that may penalise people who for example may be saving for a house . I guess people may try to put savings in a relatives savings account to try to get round this.