Likely my SIL is commiting benefit fraud ?

[GunsNroses2025]

Hi all,

Wondering if I could have opinions on this, my partners sister who is a bit of a gobshite has never really worked had 5 kids all of whom are now past 18, she remarried about 8 years ago to a self employed builder (who isn't a massively skilled builder more of a labourer) who has 2 daughters from a previous marriage, who are now past 18 , I vaguely remember when I started going out with my partner , there was a load of bitching from her about her husbands ex moaning about css etc and bragging how he and she massively under declare his earnings so he never had to pay anything for the girls (nice couple ), anywho a few years ago her husbands mum died and they inherited about 50k which they wasted and squandered on a shitty caravan in skeggy which they rent out as a business , now her kids are grown up it really amazes me how she's never bothered to get a job , as they really have wasted the inheritance on doing up this really old caravan that has to be off site in a few years anyway.

Forgive me but I'm not familiar with benefits at all not got kids yet and always worked (not judging benefits they are for those who need it) but I have a strong suspicion that they are getting back handers some how , his "building" business is not listed anywhere officially (like gov/trading websites) and correct me if I'm wrong but shouldn't earnings from caravan rentals be declared?

Both business are advertised on fb, does it sound like they are not declaring and could she be on benefits herself ? Can married women get benefits once the kids have grown up?

Me and my partner are convinced they are getting back handers but not familiar with what they could be getting?

Mind your own business.

Wow, you really dislike her, don't you?

Based upon what? You don't seem to know anything about what, if any benefits she receives, or how much they earn from other sources. Mind your own business.

This is not remotely your business.

She can claim benefits for lots of reasons. Or, she could not be at all! Keep your nose out of it unless you have actual proof and not just endless, bitter suspicions.

Oh get a more wholesome hobby OP

There’s nothing to suggest they’re doing anything illegal here. You just sound like a miserable bitter pain in the arse. Mind your own business and cheer up.

Is there a book you fancy reading or a series you could watch ? You sound like you need something to fill your time with instead of worrying about other people’s lives

If they don't have any school age DC at home they're unlikely to be entitled to very much unless they're disabled and they'll be expected to work almost full time.

It sounds like they might be self employed and obviously they should be declaring their income, which they could well be, what evidence do you have that they aren't?

@GunsNroses2025 you’re on the wrong forum, await a bashing benefit fraud/inc potential benefit fraud isn’t considered a crime in here… odd but it always ends up the same.

You seem to know the grand sum of fuck all yet seem to think they've committing fraud.

Agree.

Why are you obsessing about something you know nothing about. Are you thinking of reporting her or just being bitchy

Ask them or don’t but what does it matter really? You might think they squandered it but they found a way to have a business. Leave them to it

You have absolutely no idea from what you’ve just said if they declare stuff or not.

1- you have no idea if they still receive benefits. So why are you thinking there is fraud going on?
2- her dh doesn’t have to have a company. More likely he is self employed. He also doesn’t need to be part of any (traders) organisation.
3- you have no idea how much they are making from the caravan. Esp if it’s such poor condition as you describe,
4- if she was UC, then she’d also have to look further a job. It doesn’t seem to be the case. And it would also mean her dh doesn’t earn much either (which now means he’d probably be asked to look for another job, salaried rather than self employed)
5- the declaring stuff, I assume us about HMRC. Just to make it clear. You can accept cash as payment if you’re self employed. It doesn’t mean it’s ’cash In hand and hidden from HMRC’.

HTH

God talk about being nosy and bitchy😏

I’m not interested in the benefit angle as I would assume that anything they are claiming is means tested but I am genuinely curious - where do you think would they be getting these ‘back handers’ from? A back hander is a bribe, no?

Or do you mean he’s working cash in hand as a labourer/builder?

ha ha you very clearly do not like this woman and to be fair you sound like you are a little bit jealous but i am not sure why?

mind your own business! get on with your life, let them get on with theirs.

Why are you wasting your time & energy with
what if ?
life to short , get on with your iwn

Every sentence you wrote about them dripping with scorn and hatred. Can't you find something else to think about?

Good luck @GunsNroses2025, thou must not accuse anyone of fiddling the system because mumsnet will get you in your sleep. Be aware!

If they're sole traders their businesses don't need to be registered anywhere that you could access to check.

What's wrong with buying a caravan and renting it out to get an ongoing income anyway? Seems reasonably sensible to me!

Scroungers can stay on UC for years, they don’t need to have been signed off as being too ill for work, they can play the system ‘well’. In this instance, my hunch says yes, but I think maybe focus on your own life for now, until they maybe tell you what they could be doing on the sly.