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Original poster

Benefit fraud

41 replies

Badabing75 · 12/02/2026 22:20

I own my own house, mortgaged it’s just in my name. The issue is my partner who is self employed has been found out by hmrc ti be committing tax evasion. This has.now highlighted the UC joint claim as he’s been submitting incorrect details. I was aware he had another account but I never knew what was going on or out. My concern is that the amount that he owes could be quite a lot and he can’t afford to pay it. The only thing available is my house. He contributes to bills he has made contributions to the mortgage but not too significant he also paid for some building work. Will I lose my house

OP posts:
TimeForATerf · 13/02/2026 03:00

Well surely if it’s a joint UC claim you’re jointly responsible for repaying the debt.

I imagine he’s solely responsible for paying the tax on the income he hid.

LilyBunch25 · 13/02/2026 05:35

You'll be jointly liable for any overpayment on the joint UC claim. HMRC is a separate issue that he will be solely liable for. When you made a joint UC claim you were both equally responsible for declaring all and any money in accounts held in either/both names. Anything over £6k and a tariff deduction will be applied per relevant assessment period of UC. You will be required to repay any overpayment, and are jointly liable. If it totalled, between you, over £16k you were not entitled to UC and face repaying it all. The joint liability can become complex if, for example, your partner becomes bankrupt. He may then not have to pay his "half" but if UC decide it was a fraudulent claim (non declared savings/capital for the intention of being eligible to claim means tested benefits) you may end up liable for the whole amount. I suggest you seek some advice pretty urgently.

LilyBunch25 · 13/02/2026 05:46

So to summarise, UC is your bigger problem. HMRC is ultimately his, but HMRC are just as vigorous at going after money owed and that, ultimately, will affect you financially, especially if you incur overpayment with the DWP, and he doesn't contribute to repaying any overpayment.

Kimura · 13/02/2026 06:25

Your partner's HMRC issue won't affect you.

If you're also saying that you've been over-paid UC on a joint claim, then you are jointly liable for paying this back.

If this has come about purely as a result of your partner's tax evasion, you may be able to get help and have your claim split.

LoudSnoringDog · 13/02/2026 06:30

What’s the incorrect details that he has submitted to UC? If it’s a joint claim how would you not know that he was putting wrong ( I am assuming to claim more money) information?

Skybunnee · 13/02/2026 06:53

Perhaps if you are not married you are not as responsible for the false claim. I've no idea you need proper advice.

LilyBunch25 · 13/02/2026 06:53

Skybunnee · 13/02/2026 06:53

Perhaps if you are not married you are not as responsible for the false claim. I've no idea you need proper advice.

Marriage is completely irrelevant in a joint UC claim. Claiming as a couple is all that is relevant. Throughout claiming both applicants are reminded of the equal responsibility to declare anything that may affect the claim including savings, capital, etc.

sashh · 13/02/2026 07:55

Chuck him out, he has caused this problem, he does not care about you, if he did he would have been honest with you, HMRC and DWP.

Put a message on your UC journal saying you have just found out about this and you need some help.

Barrenfieldoffucks · 13/02/2026 07:57

Were you not aware of how much was coming in?

livingthenotebook · 13/02/2026 07:59

How much roughly are you talking?

DWP will let you set up a payment plan if you are not talking many thousands.

Bromptotoo · 13/02/2026 10:03

As already asked what is the likely amount of the UC overpayment. Joint claim/jointly liable is another of UC's thick red lines.

Once the amount is crystalised DWP will want you to agree a payment plan. As above that will be based on joint resources.

While nothing is impossible I don't think them going straight for a charging order and order for sale of your home is likely. Rendering people homeless isn't a routine step for enforcing any debt.

However if you have a repayment plan and do not/cannot keep up then a charge on the property is an avenue they can follow.

Pickledonion1999 · 13/02/2026 10:58

LoudSnoringDog · 13/02/2026 06:30

What’s the incorrect details that he has submitted to UC? If it’s a joint claim how would you not know that he was putting wrong ( I am assuming to claim more money) information?

Presumably if he's been declaring less earnings to HMRC then he will have been declaring less earnings to UC to get more UC.

LoudSnoringDog · 13/02/2026 18:58

Pickledonion1999 · 13/02/2026 10:58

Presumably if he's been declaring less earnings to HMRC then he will have been declaring less earnings to UC to get more UC.

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This is more or less what I was alluding to

Coffeeandbooks88 · 13/02/2026 21:38

LoudSnoringDog · 13/02/2026 06:30

What’s the incorrect details that he has submitted to UC? If it’s a joint claim how would you not know that he was putting wrong ( I am assuming to claim more money) information?

I suspect they do know.

Bromptotoo · 14/02/2026 10:21

Coffeeandbooks88 · 13/02/2026 21:38

I suspect they do know.

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Depends how open they are with each other about his earnings.

If he keeps his own bank account and pays OP for bills etc she may be totally unaware of his real income.

LilyBunch25 · 14/02/2026 10:29

Bromptotoo · 14/02/2026 10:21

Depends how open they are with each other about his earnings.

If he keeps his own bank account and pays OP for bills etc she may be totally unaware of his real income.

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Unfortunately won't help if there's an overpayment on a joint UC claim. You accept you're jointly liable for information given to claim as a couple.

Bromptotoo · 14/02/2026 10:34

LilyBunch25 · 14/02/2026 10:29

Unfortunately won't help if there's an overpayment on a joint UC claim. You accept you're jointly liable for information given to claim as a couple.

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I know that. As I said upthread joint liability for overpayments is one of the thick red lines in UC.

My post was contesting an assertion that the OP actually knew her partner was 'on the fiddle'.

BoredZelda · 14/02/2026 10:37

Bromptotoo · 14/02/2026 10:21

Depends how open they are with each other about his earnings.

If he keeps his own bank account and pays OP for bills etc she may be totally unaware of his real income.

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If you are submitting a joint claim then you should know.

Redundancyquery · 14/02/2026 10:45

BoredZelda · 14/02/2026 10:37

If you are submitting a joint claim then you should know.

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How would you? You can't know something that isn't declared. If the OP's partner has a secret account, hasn't informed her, and isn't declaring the income, then the OP would see the UC statement and it would all seem correct.

gototogo · 14/02/2026 10:51

Any income tax owed is his sole responsibility, the uc claim is shared but they can split any money owed and he could be solely fined if proven you knew nothing (but if he was paying for things they could question why you didn’t suspect he had more money?) I believe that to have debt split you would need to have separated but I may be wrong, they will give you a payment plan potentially but depends a bit on how much

Bromptotoo · 14/02/2026 10:54

Redundancyquery · 14/02/2026 10:45

How would you? You can't know something that isn't declared. If the OP's partner has a secret account, hasn't informed her, and isn't declaring the income, then the OP would see the UC statement and it would all seem correct.

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That. Exactly.

There's a cohort out there who keep their finances separate AND do not share information about their respective incomes. They rub along with an arrangement that meets bills and housekeeping etc but that's as far as it goes.

Some of them claim UC.

Others probably could but don't because their partner won't co-operate.

gototogo · 14/02/2026 10:54

@Redundancyquery

if your partner is claiming uc with you but has money in excess of what you would expect for on low income then you should question it really, ignorance of financial affairs isn’t actually an excuse. Uc if you own your own home on fairly low incomes yet there was money for building work. Of course hindsight is 20:20 and it’s sometimes easy to make assumptions but hmrc won’t accept excuses like i didn’t realise.

Pickledonion1999 · 14/02/2026 11:16

Redundancyquery · 14/02/2026 10:45

How would you? You can't know something that isn't declared. If the OP's partner has a secret account, hasn't informed her, and isn't declaring the income, then the OP would see the UC statement and it would all seem correct.

Show quote history

Yes op may be able to see the earnings which her husband submitted on the UC journal but would not know if those earnings were inaccurate from what he was actually earning.

SENDChaos · 28/02/2026 23:35

You basically are going to end up with 2 debts.

1-UC for overpayments from them
2- HMRC for underpayments to them

Both are debts that will never go away so don’t bury your head in the sand.

can’t offer any advice until you know what amount you’re looking at but a dent to HMRC is probably one of the worse you could have

SENDChaos · 28/02/2026 23:39

Tbh I’d be embarrassed to even admit to this and if he’s done this behind your back then he isn’t your partner, there is no partnership