Truly shocked by Tory bank trials for benefit claimants.

[caringcarer]

When Tory's suggested looking at people's bank accounts to stop benefit fraud I thought they might catch out just a few people so it would be pointless doing it. I've just seen this article in local press and I couldn't believe my eyes about the number of bank accounts having an average of £50k yet claiming UC or low income benefits fraudulently. It was a real eye opener. Anyone else shocked?

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/uk-news/dwp-tries-bank-account-checks-29191387

It is right that disabled children are eligible for support.

I am no fan of Cameron's but he will have paid a fair chunk in tax over his time.

I think on balance it was right.

His little boy Ivan was disabled and him receiving DLA is a way of wider society acknowledging disabled people have issues to face over and above those that non-disabled people deal with. A decent society has a safety net for everyone who might need it.

Also it is more cost effective to not means test some types of benefit.

I notice the people screaming for the govt to treat any benefit claimant this way never call for the govt to push to find the people underclaiming and pay out the estimated £23 BILLION the govt says goes unclaimed.

It's nothing to do with fairness, all this faux outrage about pensioners having £50 too much in their savings or some single parent losing their mother and getting £17k who are included in the figures quoted is all to do with spite.

Most people never see £50k in their lives as a lump sum they could theoretically spend, unless it's as part of the value of their house between house sales.

Don't know why they can't apply this effort to the non payers of CMS.

People intentionally defrauding the system, tend to be aware of the rules.I doubt they’d leave that amount in their bank account for benefits people to find.
I can’t believe there are people that still allow themselves to be manipulated into feeling anger at the most vulnerable in society and sit passively while allowing the fraudsters in charge to systematically destroy this countries health and education system.

and the fact the wealthy people have means which are orders of magnitude over and above those of non-wealthy people counts for nothing??

yes, the cap doffers who prostrate themselves before the wealthy & powerful just cant help themselves

No of course not.

But means testing PIP and DLA would make the system even more cumbersome than it is already. As a pp said, a lot goes unclaimed already because people can't face the rigmarole of claiming. We shouldn't add to that.

If that means a few mega rich people get to claim too, so be it.

Well said

You only have to look at this site to see how much punching down goes on.

Just been reading about the fact that there are over 6 million households in such serious poverty they are regularly skipping meals. It's really offensive to me the government is wanting to cut back even more, instead of looking for ways to improve the lives of British citizens.

They release these kind of press releases to distract from the real scandal - the huge increase in poverty since the start of austerity in 2010.

I hate this culture where people feel clever to have defrauded the taxpayer. It should be regarded as shameful. But equally, the benefits system is complex and genuine mistakes are bound to happen.

We need to prevent these financial losses wherever they occur, whether it’s tax evasion by the better off to benefit fraud. We also need to close corporate tax loopholes. This will take a lot of taxpayer funded manpower however, so I’d like to see the tax code vastly simplified and a universal basic income applied.

Are they people with £50,000 sat in the bank?

@miley1967, Which benefit do you think I claim?

I assume that anyone who had enough money wouldn't be skipping meals, obviously. You rather miss the point, which is that 6 million households are regularly skipping meals and the government wants to cut support yet further.

You come across remarkably like a character from Dickens @FaeryRing

Well if we follow that through then no one with significant means should qualify for things like free hospital care, free GP appointments and also no child benefit.

Re child benefit, technically speaking a couple could earn £240,000 between them and dump £120,000 into pensions and still get child benefit. I resent every penny that I pay in tax to those couples too!

People who suffer personal injury should not receive millions in damages paid into a trust and claim universal credit. As it is this is a savings exemption.

I claimed DLA for my son but he has a life time of needs and it’s petrifying. The money will get recycled ultimately into a vulnerable persons trust for him when we are dead.

Otherwise, my son will be forced into a life of potential poverty despite working and trying so hard to be better….because society does not distinguish much between him and those who have more options to escape that poverty just by not being disabled.

As parents we will do everything to thwart that but we don’t have millions and millions to look after him for life. He will need benefits.

Franky it’s the least of his costing as social care and education are far more costly.

A few weeks ago on Mums Net I said that I wanted to walk in front of a bus when told that my baby son most likely had global delays ( he has done remarkably well since those dark days).

Just for goodness sake walk in our shoes where there is no escape from your child’s destiny. You have hope as parents - I didn’t.

I know many people who ‘employ’ spouses in their companies even though said spouses do not do a days work or do a little bit. They basically use the spouses personal allowance and lower tax rate, They can also pay into spouses pension and get tax relief.

I find that equally fraudulent and that should be investigated.

What about the dubious tax relief on Christmas parties - held at the company directors own home and they charge a debatable amount of costing as tax relief. People use that to even hold their own parties and call them ‘work’ parties.

I mean there is a whole load of fraud in self employed business expenses in small businesses. Let’s also explore that.

Was my comment the only one on this whole thread that you could be bothered replying to ?

This.

In that case the systems need to be better designed.

I've been out all day. Which benefit do you think I claim?

Did you pull and did the contraception 'fail'.
If so you could be in for a big multiple payouts

I don't claim any benefits. It just makes PP feel good to claim I do. I'll be claiming State Pension on a few years though.

You've started a thread about people having savings, many of them likely to be pensioners perhaps having a bit put away to help their kids. You've said on previous threads that you gave your son tens of thousands for a house deposit. Do you not think that just maybe other people might want to do that too?
You rent out 11 houses and I'm betting you are cashing in on many of those tenants being on UC and other low income benefits who will never have the chance to own their own home. I'm sure your future is very secure.
Check your privilege and don't start thread designed to get people frothing and then disappear for the day !