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Original poster

I'm dying to grass up the benefit cheats living next to me but..

301 replies

ssd · 20/09/2008 20:47

..dh won't let me as they have 3 kids and he feels its unfair on the kids

they are the laziest young couple I've ever met, she told me she can't afford to work as she is getting so much paid for her by claiming to be a single mum, but her partner (kids dad) work on the side so they have that money coming in too

they seem to spend all their money on takeaway deliveries, about 3 a week, but sod all on their kids who come chapping my door every day trying to get in to play with our toys, and probably for a feed as they get their takeaways about half nine at night

we both work here, I'm part time on minimum wage and she actually told me what she "clears" a month and with income support, job seekers and rent paid she's better off than us bith working

I'm heartily sick of seeing them swanning about, she always seems to have new clothes and their car is much better than ours, her mu mtakes the kids at weekends so they can go out and party, she told me they can afford to go out every Sat and they lie in bed all Sunday till the kids are delivered back to them

I'm so bitter, I'm sick of the injustice

should I go ahead and tell social services and let dh go mad or just let them live their dishonest life and shut up? I really don't know what to do

OP posts:
findtheriver · 21/09/2008 19:06

Not surprised connie... I'm sure there are many in a similar position. Along with all the couples who both have to work or would lose their home.

I'm fortunate that I enjoy my job (more so because I have worked hard to get there and now have a wealth of qualifications and experience which helps) but I know a lot of people have to work, even when they don't enjoy it.

Which is why smug comments like 'I put the welfare of my children first by not working' are bloody insulting

FAQ · 21/09/2008 19:14

find continue to find them insulting they weren't meant to be.

I thought I would have to work, or move house, when my marriage broke up - didn't see there was any way I could continue to live here -but (thankfully) that's not so far been the case (though nearly happened earlier this week).

daftpunk · 21/09/2008 19:15

i didn't think faq's comments were insulting at all?

but then according to someone on this thread one of my posts was the most annoying they've read in 5 years??

oh well, maybe we should all just open the wine

KatieDD · 21/09/2008 19:24

For any of you worrying about loosing your homes, don't - the government will be paying interest only mortgages up to £175k as of April 2009 after three months of unemployment, so make sure you have enough savings to cover three months payments and you'll be fine. Which begs the question that they have known the shit would hit the fan for a long time and yet chose to say nothing and let people get deeper and deeper into debt.

FAQ · 21/09/2008 19:27

They've also reduced the length of time you have to be on benefits to receive help towards £100k of mortgage interest too - to 13 weeks (the 3 months mentioned above)

Tortington · 21/09/2008 19:29

if being on benefits is a great lifestyle choice why dont those of you who think so do it?

whispywhisp · 21/09/2008 19:31

Having caught up with this thread over the last few posts...its clear to see we're all very intelligent individuals and each have very differing opinions...

...but there is no escaping the fact this country is in a desperate state, we are all in need one way or another, everyone is finding it tough at the moment and if you're not then you're very lucky.

DH and I have even been talking about selling up and starting again because we're up to our eyes in debt and whilst we can't turn the clock back we can sell what we have here, which fortunately for us we've got plenty in equity in the house, and start all over again somewhere else and get out of this rat race we're in.

I will follow my dream one day...to live somewhere with less crime on my doorstep, to grow my own fruit and veg, get away from noisy neighbours, have more money in my purse and live a far less stressful life!

daftpunk · 21/09/2008 19:31

exactly custardo!

whispywhisp · 21/09/2008 19:32

custardo...because I can't - my DH works.

Tortington · 21/09/2008 19:34

well, give up his job - wait for - what is it 6 weeks without money and then reap the delight that is the benefits purse

why don't you do it?

findtheriver · 21/09/2008 19:45

if being on benefits is such a crap lifestyle choice, why do the young and active couple living along the road from me choose to do it?

expatinscotland · 21/09/2008 19:47

maybe they don't have a very high standard of living, find.

i dunno.

nice to know we'll be paying for other peoples' asset - a house - that we'll never be able to afford.

c'est la vie! we'll be paying for fat cat bonuses from now till the world ends, too, i expect.

FAQ · 21/09/2008 19:51

expat - actually you can already receive help towards interest on a mortgage up to 100k - have been able to for a while.

I suppose it makes sense - lets face it if they didn't get the help many of them would end up homeless - and being housed in already overstretched council accommodation or having housing benefit paid for a privately rented house. So either way the taxpayers end up paying for them to live somewhere....

Tortington · 21/09/2008 19:59

again - if ifs a great lifestyle choice - you do it

and if you don't want to - then ask yourself why not.
/
has it something to do with progression?

one doesn't progress career wise whilst on benefits
dont get great penion

then there is the stigma

the hope for the future for your children.

is this lifestyle something you would want your children to have
?

if not why not - think it through

expatinscotland · 21/09/2008 20:01

true, FAQ, and they're still not paying principal on the mortgage, which means when the mortgage term ends if they don't ante up the cash the bank will take back its possession, anyhow. same difference, i guess.

daftpunk · 21/09/2008 20:06

so true, but your wasting your time custardo, some poeple on this thread just see people on benefits as money grabing lazy bastards....all down to money, as usual.

life on benefits is crap for 99% of people.

FAQ · 21/09/2008 20:12

not if the (the homeowner) top up with their other benefits, or switch back to repayment mortgage when they are in a better position financially.

forevercleaning · 21/09/2008 20:12

Not read all the thread, but in answer to the OP, I dont think you are being unreasonable in 'making a phone call' about your neighbs.

If they are cheating the system, they deserve to be shopped. The benefits are there for those who need them. And IF they are cheating by working and he is pretending not to live there, then that is benefit fraud. They are preventing the money going to others in a worse situation.

There is nothing wrong with people being checked up on, if they are being honest about their situations, then they have nothing to fear. If, on the other hand they have lied to obtain money they will get what they deserve.

mumfor1standmaybe2ndtime · 21/09/2008 20:36

Erm, Colditz - house contents insurance isn't an expense..I pay £7 a month for 50k cover. Some councils do their own contents insurance schemes that you can pay in with your rent, sometimes as little as £1-2 a week. Not sure why that would be a big deal for someone to pay, however their income. Better to have it - or pay for all your belongings you have managed to buy get ruined in a flood/house fire/burglary. (I do live next to a river though, so better to be safe than sorry!)

I live in a ha house as I can't get on the property ladder, house prices are too high and our earnings are too low to save the 30k plus needed just for a deposit and to be honest I would not want to put all of dh's earnings - yes I mean all - towards a mortgage that would go up and up and up. It would be impossible.
I work part time and dh works full time. I can't stand to see people stealing from the benefit system, however small the 'crime' may seem to some - it is stealing if that person/family are not entitled to the money.

I would shop them.

I learnt my lesson with benefits - the only time I have applied for 'dole' was when I was 19. I lived with dh and we had a council flat. He earned just £130 a week. We recieved no help with rent, council tax. I received £0 from the state. I had to rely on dh. From then on I have always worked and always will work. I claim ctc and cb, that is all I am entitled. When I thought I may loose my job about a year ago I was told I would again have to live off dh, despite working for the last 15 years.

Original poster
ssd · 21/09/2008 20:41

daftpunk, I hope your not refering to me in your last comment

OP posts:
daftpunk · 21/09/2008 20:47

ssd; i'm referring to quite a few people actually.

have you got a problem with that?

Jux · 21/09/2008 20:55

In these situations I always think "there but for the grace of god...."

Original poster
ssd · 21/09/2008 21:07

yes I do if I'm one of them

OP posts:
daftpunk · 21/09/2008 21:21

yes you are one of them.

you said in your op that you're bitter...and you are.

the system isn't always fair ssd..your neighbours are playing the system to their advantage..but they wont get far in life.

you and your partner have jobs, your children have good role models, having a job offers alot more than just an income you know, it gives you self esteem.

how do you know she doesn't envy you?

whispywhisp · 21/09/2008 21:24

custardo...if DH gave up his job and went onto benefits he would have to have a bloody good reason for going onto benefits - ie illness/disability/lack of work in this area. None of these apply. And if he gave up his job we would, without doubt, lose our home because we would fall behind with our mortgage. There is absolutely no way I would (voluntarily) put my kids through losing their home. If it happened and was out of our hands that's a different matter entirely but to voluntarily lose everything that's just bloody stupid.