Tax credit fraud

[lipsticknick]

I have a question about my neighbour, who I know is claiming tax credits fraudulently. She has a partner, they split their time between her house and his house to “keep up appearances” so it looks like they are living separately and registered to different addresses. He also has a limited company, registered on companies house. She is down as his secretary. She sometimes gets a wee bit of cash off him, either cash in hand or bank transfer. She will not be declaring this because she has her son to tell anyone that asks that her bf is “just a friend”. It’s all very suspect. I’m going to report this anonymously but would appreciate any advice. How seriously would tax credits take this? It annoys me because so many deserving people get declined for benefits and have to work.

How can you possibly know all this?

did YOU get declined for benefits and have to work?

Yes I love the 'have to work' line.

They literally divide their time between the houses over night, spending every over night with each other every week across the two houses. I know she won’t be declaring this - another neighbour got a letter through from tax credits that was hers and it wasn’t declared on it.

You can work and still be entitled to tax credits. Please be careful when it comes to reporting benefit fraud as it can have serious effects on someone’s life if untrue, especially when children are involved. If they’re clearly flaunting extreme wealth whilst claiming more than they should then go ahead! If they’ve got an extra £50 or so a week it’s probably not worth it

A neighbour opened her post? That's an offence.

Opening any letter is breaching privacy - let alone a tax credits letter! Doesn’t matter if it’s been posted through the wrong door, it should have been handed to the addressee

They both have their own places of residence and do not live together, so it’s not fraud.

You sound quite bitter and can’t possibly know the ins and outs of her finances. What is your real motivation, I wonder?

But hey, report her if you want. If you’re really lucky you’ll get the smug satisfaction of seeing her tax credits be frozen and the ensuing financial hardship while an investigation is underway.
But don’t pretend to yourself that you’re doing it for some noble societal reason...

Trust me, it’s extreme wealth. Her partner earns over 100k a year, they both drive brand new Mercedes, go on luxury holidays to Dubai, New York, Paris etc several times a year. Son goes to private school. I’m all for benefits but it is definitely being exploited. And I’m not saying you can’t have nice things on benefits either but she is definitely claiming what she is not entitled to. I’m sure there’s a lot of us who would love to have their lifestyle.

Stay out of it tbh...
Neighbour hood gossip, When shit hits the fan it will come back on you as in my opinion of you so far your one of those nosey neighbours who loves idle gossip 🤷🏻‍♀️

Her non-live-in partner having a high income does not mean she has a high income.
Maybe she’d rather not be a woman who gives up her own financial independence to rely on a wealthy partner? Presumably he pays for the holidays?

You know nothing about the relationship between these people or their financial arrangements.
It’s all speculation, gossip, and seething jealousy, from the sounds of it.

Well now you mention the neighbour opening the private post, the luxury holidays and the private school, and the extreme wealth, well of course you're right to query their life style. Those brand new Mercedes on tax credits do sound terribly suspicious.

Altnough, as I was reading about Ovid today, deferral of the signifier is not all that multi-layered textuality is cracked up to be.

Gosh you sound so jealous.
I can't see what they are doing wrong.
I'm the secretary for my dh business. I get to sign a few documents every year, that's about it.
I also have a child at a private school and tc pay the fees. In reality it's hugely subsidised by a gov scheme and we pay a little, the same as our tc award.
No flashy cars, but how do you know they aren't company cars. He could be up to his neck in debt, and as for a holiday in Dubai, that's not a holiday I'd be jealous of.

Why is there ALWAYS a tax credit letter that conveniently gets delivered to one of the nosey neighbours' coven so that OP is DEFINITELY SURE that the single parent is a badd'un?

Financially it’d make no sense to pay 2 lots of rent and all other household bills just to claim tax credits. I was in this situation with an ex. My ex used to stay a lot and I’d stay at his but we still had separate finances, I claimed £400pm tax credits and he paid £600pm just in rent on his place, so there was no financial gain. I wasn’t ready for him to give up his home to live with me and to combine finances after knowing him for 6 months. You even say he earns over 100k a year and only gives her a wee bit of money.

If it makes you feel better then report them but they are doing nothing illegal; both have their own homes and finances.

You sound a bit jealous to be honest