Benefit Fraud Advice

[Blailey]

I’m looking for some advice regarding benefit fraud and the chances of me going to prison.

My partner is the father to all three of my children and is registered at his parents house. We have been together for 10 years and I have claimed HB, CTC and have now moved over to Universal Credit. I have always claimed as single as he’s registered at his parent’s and to be perfectly honest, we struggle to make ends meet even with the benefits. When we moved into our home 7 years ago, I only put my name on the tenancy.

I have recently received a message from UC about a compliance interview over the phone. I think a friend that I fell out with has reported me, she knew what was going on with my benefits.

Since I got the message, my partner has moved into his parents as I’m so worried that I will go to prison.

Could they have been watching my house? I’m so worried that if they know he’s been living with me for 7 years then I will have to pay all of the money back and I could get a criminal record. Hopefully now he is at his parents, they will see he’s not living here.

Had anyone been in a similar position? What was the outcome. I’m loosing sleep!

Op, they can check bank accounts, watch properties, take photos etc as evidence. They may also have witness statements from others.

Get legal advice , tell the truth, don’t commit fraud, it’s illegal. Was the money worth it?

Yeah I think you will at least have your benefits stopped and be ordered to pay it all back to be honest, why wouldn't you? You've taken something that you weren't entitled to, at the expense of others. Families with two full time working parents, (some working multiple jobs) who are struggling to pay their own bills, have been subsidising your lifestyle. You will be sanctioned for this, and the worst thing you can do is lie, as they will no doubt already have evidence against you.

You are probably going to have to get a job because they won't let you claim for a long time until it is paid back. I can see why your friend has reported you. Him moving out as soon as you got that message looks guilty as hell by the way.

You don't know if someone reported you. It could simply be that theyve done checks.

Suspicious maybe as you've claimed as a single person for so long.

A quick ask of the neighbours would soon tell them who was living at the property.

7 Years? I would be losing more than sleep if I had been claiming benefit I was not entitled to.

Yes you will have to pay all of the money back and they are now pushing for prosecutions for fraud. You willing defrauded the government, and tax payers, why should you get away with it when thousands of other struggling familys play by the rules?.

This might be routine but as you actually are committing fraud it's best to come up with a plan. You can either stay quiet and hope they have no evidence, you can come clean or you can lie. If you want to do the last one and they have evidence then a prison sentence is much more likely, especially if soon after their call DP packed up all his stuff and moved into his parents'! That photo is all the proof they need!

Is this for real? I mean are there really people out there who are so arrogant as to come on to a site like this where people are struggling and post that they’ve been committing benefit fraud for the past ten years and want sympathy? Mindblowing.

Yes, you could go to prison.

Yes, you will almost certainly have to pay it back.

No. You don’t deserve any sympathy.

The circumstances are irrelevant. Plenty of people struggle financially and aren’t entitled to benefits.

The very fact that your DH is the father of all your children is evidence enough that you’re a family. Even if he legitimately did live with his parents chances are you would still be guilty of benefit fraud because it would be seen as you attempting to dodge the system.

And no, the whole “others do it/there’s corruption elsewhere/it’s tempting/understandable” lines don’t work. Fraud is fraud. And if everyone struggling took that line things would be a lot worse.

People legitimately claiming benefits are judged because of people like you who scrounge and cheat the system. Despicable.

If you didn’t have children I’d hope you went to prison. But as it is you need to pay it back.

And I wouldn’t bother going to a solicitor tbh. Legally you don’t have a leg to stand on.

Oh OP surely you knew that there was a risk of you being caught as you've been lying for the last seven years. What did you think was going to happen?

Your children will have had free milk and free dinners too.

There are holiday clubs and day trips free for families on benefits too.

It's honestly disgusting.

What about your prescriptions and dentist?

Daft thing is. They wouldn't get any photos of me and him out together or see any holidays booked so I'd have more change of getting away with it.

Name change fail there OP?

You claimed as a single parent while having a partner to support you. You mention "our home" . You took the risk , you take the consequences. Likely stop your benefits until you pay back excessive claim, maybe prosecute. Maybe this is just a goady benefits thread?

You’ve been knowingly committing fraud for 7 years. Eh can go back through records and see that he’s been living with you during that time, it doesn’t matter that he’s moved out now. You need to tell the truth or you could be in even worse trouble.

@MayThe4th No. I just remembered something else to add 😂

What happens if I am found to have committed fraud?

If you are convicted for benefits fraud you can receive an unlimited fine or seven years in prison or both.

Prosecution must begin within three months of the date from which there was sufficient evidence to prosecute or twelve months from the date of your offence, whichever is later.

You may be invited to pay a civil penalty as an alternative to prosecution or the proceedings may be dropped. You should seek advice before agreeing to pay any penalty as alternative to prosecution.
If you are faced with prosecution, you should seek legal advice as a matter of urgency.
OverpaymentsIf the act which led to the fraud investigation also resulted in a recoverable overpayment, the overpayment is still recoverable from you even after you serve a prison sentence or pay a fine.
Make sure any possible benefit appeal about the accuracy of an overpayment or its recoverability has been made and heard before any prosecution action begins.

Civil penalty or prosecution?

Civil penaltiesA civil penalty may apply if you are overpaid a benefit and:

• you have negligently given incorrect information or evidence, and
• you fail to take steps to rectify the error, and
• the error causes an overpayment, or
• you fail to provide information or evidence or fail to notify a change in your circumstances without a reasonable excuse.

You may be invited to pay a civil penalty as an alternative to criminal prosecution. This may apply if:

• you have been overpaid benefit and this is recoverable from you, and
• you caused the overpayment, and
• there are grounds for prosecuting you for the offence.

How much is the penalty?The minimum penalty is the greater of 50% of the amount overpaid or £350, with a maximum penalty of £5,000.
If I agree to the penalty, can I still be prosecuted?No. The penalty is an alternative to prosecution. If you agree to the penalty, you must be allowed a short ‘cooling-off’ period to change your mind. You cannot avoid the penalty after that time. The cooling-off period is 14 days.

If I pay the penalty, do I still have to repay the overpayment?Yes. If the overpayment was recoverable, it remains recoverable from you even if you pay the penalty.
If I do not agree to the penalty, will I be prosecuted?Not necessarily. Although there must be grounds to prosecute before you can be offered a penalty, you will not necessarily be prosecuted if you do not agree. You should always seek specialist advice.

Oh fgs not you being a sock.

You're coming on here asking for advice on how to get away with benefit fraud ?

If this isn’t a wind up, then you deserve this backlash. I hope you and your partner are made to pay it all back and never allowed to claim benefits again- you’ll just have to go to work like everyone else.
You've had 3 children that you and your partner haven’t financially supported yourselves and you’ve set a terrible example to them. I’m surprised it’s taken this long to be found out.

I can understand why people are angry with me, I know at least 6 people that are doing this too and it does go on.
I do actually work part time and my partner works full time. He doesn’t pay money into my account, I just use his debit card for shopping, petrol, etc. it’s a struggle to make ends meet, especially with the cost of living crisis.
He’s Always had everything registered to his parent’s address, dr, dentist, car insurance.
I know a lot of you have said to tell the truth, but if they have no proof of anything, I could be getting myself into trouble. All the bills are in my name, the only way they would know is if they’re been watching my house before the letter was sent.

I reported someone I used to work with as the twat boasted that they lived on his wages and saved all of her benefit money and the rent from his house for holidays and luxuries. (they lied she lived alone but he actually lived there). The kicker for me was when my old banger broke down and he laughed that I’d never be able to afford a nice car like his.
The benefits people asked me for his start and finish times and they surveilled him for a while.
Im not sure what punishment they got but he turned up to work one morning raging that they’d been grassed up and whoever did it had ruined their lives.
Fucking good.

Are you for real lol?? Struggling to make ends meet but you have your part time wages, your partners full time wages, housing benefit for your rent, you won't pay council tax, prescriptions will be free, school meals free, milk vouchers, child benefit, working tax credits, & universal credit, cost of living payments, which are all claimed fraudulently for YEARS but you want to ask how to basically continue to get away with it?

Mind blown*
*

'It does go on'
Maybe try that as your excuse, I'm sure that'll help.

I understand why some live separately but you are a family with children together. You should live together. I find it weird. I would rather my husband lived with me

They have lived together he's only moved out temporarily because she's in the shit with claiming fraudulently