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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:
FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:02

but it doesn't take many drops to form a puddle..........

AnarchyAunt · 20/09/2008 23:02

Well actually the amount of benefit claimed fraudulently is lower than the amount of benefits that go unclaimed.

Amounts unclaimed and claimed fraudulently in 2006.

That's not to say don't report them - do as your conscience dictates. But to say that benefit fraud is costing billions is simply not true.

Remotew · 20/09/2008 23:09

Ok if poor people are not claiming what they are entitled to then I will claim it instead albeit via fraud just to balance it out then.

FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:09

"Benefit fraud has fallen overall from £2billion in 2001-02 to £800million last year."

Both amounts are staggering!!

KatieDD · 20/09/2008 23:11

Actually I wouldn't and trust me I don't agree with it at all, but the children WILL suffer, either from being parted from their mother or the sudden drop income.
Yes it's utterly wrong but if you don't think much of her parenting now imagine how good she'll be whilst going thorough an investigation and maybe a trial.
Nobody will be better off as a result of your actions.

FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:12

KAtie - the rest of us survive on just our benefits - so why should the children suffer - the mother will just have to learn to live on what she's entitled to - skip a few of those takeaways.........

Remotew · 20/09/2008 23:12

No sorry the kids will be better off without the current situation.

FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:15

the majority of the investigating would be done without her (the mother) knowing about it. There may not even be a trial depends on how long it's been going on for, and how much it is she's claimed fraudulently

KatieDD · 20/09/2008 23:15

It's not the lack of take away's or even the money here that will impact on the children it's how she will react to the stress of the investigation, that would be my concern.
And the children are living in ignorant bliss I'd imagine so they couldn't care less where the money comes from.

KatieDD · 20/09/2008 23:16

It's not the lack of take away's or even the money here that will impact on the children it's how she will react to the stress of the investigation, that would be my concern.
And the children are living in ignorant bliss I'd imagine so they couldn't care less where the money comes from.

KatieDD · 20/09/2008 23:17

You don't know though do you, what can of worms it's opening or how she'll react.
I've seen the stress money worries cause people and the children always suffer in those situations.

chapstickchick · 20/09/2008 23:18

The thing is and im not in anyway saying benefit fraud is right -even if you do report them and they are investigated its not as if it will make YOU any better off.

England is full of unfairness our politicians get massive allowances to decorate second homes etc etc,benefits arent going to the very people for whom they were intended and its the tip of a very big iceberg.

Theres lods of people doing the single parent thing where i live but i just think its none of my business(very selfish view of mine i know)if you truly think you should report them then do it ,having said that that wont make then turn into decent hardworking people overnight.

FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:19

so she should be allowed to commit a crime just because it could cause her stress??

For crying out loud if she wasn't cheating the system in the first place then she wouldn't have had the potential of stress by being investigated (the majority of which she wouldn't even know was happening).

You commit a crime - you pay the consequences - stress included.

If she'd crashed her car after she'd been drinking and injured or killed someone (like that poor baby the other day) - should she be spared the "stress" of the investigation and trial because she has children of her own????

Remotew · 20/09/2008 23:20

Sorry you have no argument. We are all in danger of losing our income from redundancies etc. I'm being made redundant from my job next week and have nothing lined up. My DD is not in any danger over this and I have to try to find another job. What are you saying, exactly?

KatieDD · 20/09/2008 23:21

For the sake of the children in this situation I would say nothing and that's my opinion.

FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:21

"having said that that wont make then turn into decent hardworking people overnight."

I guess there's no point in spending all the money that's spent sending career criminals to jail then - as going to jail doesn't turn them into decent hard working people overnight.

Infact why not just scrap the whole criminal system in the country - as it obviously doesn't work given the number of people that offend, then reoffend........

platypussy · 20/09/2008 23:23

Shop them. Benefit cheats are thieves. End of.

FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:25

KatieDD - if the OP had witnessed her neighbor dealing drugs or committing theft from a shop/someone elses house would you expect her to say nothing then?

OneBoyOneGirl · 20/09/2008 23:25

Totally agree with FAQ on this. They are breaking the law, they should be reported. They will have to manage on the correct amount of benefits and with regard to the stress of a drop in money affecting DC's i agree with abouteve. Me and DH, as with most of the country i believe, struggling like crazy but our DC's are not in any way affected.

Remotew · 20/09/2008 23:27

The kids would be better off without their parents sitting on their arses being benefit frauds. Simple as.

Kids grow up learning off their parents. Get it

KatieDD · 20/09/2008 23:30

But do you think that will change by the parents being reported ? I doubt it, you'll end up with a stressed out mother taking it out on the kids and I wouldn't mind betting to wriggle out of it the father moves out and hides, seen it all before, nobody gains anything and the kids get a few extra clips around the ear when the mothers in a bad mood/can't cope

shabster · 20/09/2008 23:30

My husband worked hard for 31 years and I worked for 27 years. He had a really bad accident at work. Now we are on benefits. We both hate it and feel ashamed that this is our only option. My husband is on Disability allowance. We have to pay a 'top up' rent because our Housing benefit doesn't cover everything and part of our Council tax.

The worst part about benefits is that a young couple who say they are living apart with a child will receive the same as my family if not a little more. A family member of mine receives more money than us even though she has never, ever worked - I dont expect to be rich on benefits but I never knew just how difficult it was to live on the benefits we have coming in.

I personally would not shop them because all the benefits are linked to the Inland Revenue nowadays and they will eventually be caught.

You are showing your children that it is good to work and save for luxuries. You are setting a wonderful example. Leave them to it and, believe me, they will be caught.

TrinityRhino · 20/09/2008 23:32

I'll shop them for you
bastards

KatieDD · 20/09/2008 23:32

Shabster I agree with you 100% give them enough rope and all that.

FAQ · 20/09/2008 23:33

Katie - so you think that if she was dealing drugs or commiting theft in a more "obvious" way (mugging people or shop lifting) she shouldn't be shopped either then?