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Original poster

anyone reported anyone for benefit fraud?

140 replies

ogri · 20/06/2005 16:19

hi all
like to say this is not a shoot me down in flames thread and dont want it to be.
i am just very interested.
i know a couple with a young baby, who are claiming every benefit they can, and they both work for cash in hand.
they have the latest mobile phones and the guys trainers cost more than my whole outfit.
it is really starting to p**s me off. my hubby works really hard and every month we are scraping the bucket at the end of the month.
why should we be the honest ones who are skint and they get everything.
so has anyone reported someone. did you feel guilty.
thanks for any replies

OP posts:
HappyHuggy · 20/06/2005 17:24

NightyNight

Some people just dont care about the consequences though. I dont know if there is a better way. In alot of places there isnt much of a community anymore. Im not overly keen on the BigBrother systems that are out their either but i wont stand by and watch some people cheat and lie whilst me and my family work hard and struggle.

misdee · 20/06/2005 17:26

i want to work. i worked when dd1 was a baby, and tbh the 20 hours i worked a week were enough to keep us afloat and also gave me a break. and that was ebfore the new WTC came out. we managed then byut working our hours together, dd1 only went to sitters for approx 6hours a week. we were supporting ourselves and it felt good.

TheVillageIdiot · 20/06/2005 17:27

blood is boiling, can't post on this thread again. It's one subject that really makes me cross.

misdee · 20/06/2005 17:28

boil away, i'm just on simmer

sparklymieow · 20/06/2005 17:28

TVI, I know what you mean.... people think its fine to commite benifit fraud because they aren't hurting people, but at the end of the day it is illegal, and you can be put in prison for it.

QueenEagle · 20/06/2005 17:30

I received benefits as a single parent of 3 kids, one of whom was disabled so got quite a bit extra because of that.

I also claimed for a few months after dh moved in til I was on my feet enough to manage on only his money. Don't feel bad about this.

I would report anyone that I knew for sure was fiddling the system and living the life of riley though.

nutcracker · 20/06/2005 18:28

I agree that the penalty for comitting benefit fraud needs to be harsher. As it stands at the mo, people know they will mostly get a slap on the wrist.

Before we decided to have nothing to do with dp's parents they were trying to get him to pretend he had moved out and say he was living with them, so that I could claim as a single parent like the rest of his family do.

Gave me great pleasure to tell them to stick it were the sun doesn't shine.

rickman · 20/06/2005 18:31

Message withdrawn

QueenEagle · 20/06/2005 18:36

If I were you rickman I would stick that money in an account and not touch it and not declare it.

misdee · 20/06/2005 18:36

buy yourself a shiney new car

toothyboy · 20/06/2005 18:36

My blood is also boiling. As for 'Sorry', you should realise that the world doesn't owe you a living. You chose to have a child - why should I have to pay for you to stay at home? I would like to stay at home full time with my son, but I can't afford to. BTW I work in a benefit fraud office, so I deal with the lying thieves all the time. I know that sounds harsh, but I feel very strongly about it.

kid · 20/06/2005 18:50

I know a few people that commit benefit fraud, it really winds me up. I'd quite enjoy to stay at home and look after my kids and the house but I can't. We need the money so I work part-time. DS starts nursery in September and I am increasing my hours the day he starts!

What winds me up the most is when I hear people say 'everyone else does it, so why shouldn't I?'

nutcracker · 20/06/2005 18:52

Sticking the moiney into an accouint for your kids Rickman is compoletely different.

You wouldn't be out buying that latest car, tv, stereo would you.

toothyboy · 20/06/2005 18:55

The benefit system is there to help people in genuine need - not for people to dip into as and when it suits them.

BadHair · 20/06/2005 18:58

Can't see the problem with benefit fraud myself. If someone wants to chance doing some cash in hand work (uninsured, unprotected, unpensionable, and with no employment rights) while claiming the pittance of benefit that is designed to keep them firmly on the poverty line, then good luck to 'em.
If anyone's bothered about it then do the same yourself.
For what its worth, I work. If I had the guts I'd sign on and work in a pub cash in hand for probably the same amount of money, but I have the sort of luck that gets caught out straight away and I don't fancy the idea of a humungous fine, or worse. But I can't say that I blame anyone for actually doing it.
And Rickman, don't declare the money - its a one-off for you and your family. Once its gone, it's gone, so use it wisely.

Original poster
ogri · 20/06/2005 18:58

hi all, i aint read all the replies yet.

i know it is very difficult for some people.
the thing is the guy wont even go and get a proper full time job. the work he is doing is very easy and flexible for a family business. i know he has had job offers but he knows he is on a coushy number with the family business and claiming, he wont bother getting a proper job like the rest of us.
it just pees me off that they can afford loads of nice items and clothes, where as i have to scrimp and scrape, and watch every penny i spend.

OP posts:
AngelCakeUmm · 20/06/2005 19:21

I don't agree with it but i have never reported anyone and don't think i would, cause i believe at the end of the day they will get caught.

Rickman i would not declare it, but if the council new you owned half a house with your ex then they will ask where your half of the equity went, my friend has been in the same position and she did not declare it she has a very nice friend who works somewhere who wrote a letter saying she was in debt to this company and owed her half of the house, then she put her money in her mums bank. She done it to get by with her kids over the next few years and has put X amount in savings for her children.

edam · 20/06/2005 20:22

Ogri, he's working in the family business?! I'm not generally in favour of making allegations against people to the authorities, but I can see why you are p*ssed off.

I bet some people in the office where toothyboy works have paid cash in hand for work done on their houses or cars.

HappyHuggy · 20/06/2005 20:25

you cant see the problem with benifit fraud badhair?

or have i misunderstood?

Hermione1 · 20/06/2005 20:35

It is very annoying in most cases and especially when they are going around in designer gear and your ending up with charity shop clothes because you're that skint, I really don't know what the solution would be to it. Very annoying i agree

TheVillageIdiot · 20/06/2005 20:39

Rickman, I probably wouldn't declare a one of payment like that.

However I don't think any one should see benefits as a long term solution let alone benefit fraud!!!

Badhair, I honestly don't believe that you can't see a problem with benefit fraud.

People commiting benefit fraud are depriving people who geninely need the money, anyone who says it doesn't hurt anyone is ignorant to what happens in this country.

Hermione1 · 20/06/2005 20:40

When me and my dh were first together and baby afew weeks old. we had famiuly credit but it was just a top up of dh wages as he was on low income apart from that no benefits at all apart from child benefit and child tax credits.

TheVillageIdiot · 20/06/2005 20:53

benefits you are entitled to are not fruad, I receive CTC. Because I work fulltime and my child care is so high I get CTC, unfortunately I'm not entitled to WFTC.

edam · 20/06/2005 20:59

TVI, benefit fraudsters don't reduce the pot for everyone else. Government spending on social sercurity doesn't work like that. However unpleasant it may be, it doesn't actually harm taxpayers either, in the round, as the amount of benefits that go unclaimed by people who are entitled far outweighs even the wildest estimate of the costs of fraud.

You can compare it to smoking - the most generous estimate of the cost to the NHS of smoking-related illness is around £1.7bn. But taxes on cigarettes raise £8bn a year - five times the cost.

Not saying benefit fraud or smoking are good things to do, of course.

onlyjoking9329 · 20/06/2005 20:59

i don't agree with benefit fraud,we have had the finger pointed at us, FIL hates that we are on benefits and are better off than him, i used to work full time in a very good job, then i had kids and yes i did choose to have kids, but i didn't choose to have three kids with disabilities, niether me or hubby goout to work, i am registered disabled and theres no way i could manage three kids on my own, yes it was hard to accept benefits but theres no way around it really i mean imagine trying to get any child care for three kids with autism, we have been called scroungers by FIL and it is hurtful, we did suggest that we got jobs and he did the child care but strangely enough he has yet to get back to us on that one.