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Original poster

WOULD YOU REPORT A FAMILY MEMBER FOR BENEFIT FRAUD??

115 replies

wouldyougrass · 22/01/2007 14:03

Ive known for a while they collect benefit, they have a baby but live at home with parents, in their late 20s

they always moan about their life, but never get anything together or do anything about the way they live, ever since she was pg theyve been going to the housing to be put on the housing list - the babys 4 months now and they still havent been

they sleep ALL day

im 90% sure they recieve benefits, not sure what but theyve mentioned it in the past

he works 3/4 nights a week - cash in hand, off the books

it never bothered me until one of them rang DH last night and was asking him which high definition flat screen TV to buy, hes got £1,500

they dont own theyre own car, even though he drives - they borrow the mums car to 'work' the 3 nights - and moan they cant afford a car

so why not buy a car with the 1500???

would you?

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 22/01/2007 14:37

If they were dealing drugs, would you tell?

That's illegal, too.

airy · 22/01/2007 14:45

I'd say a custodial sentence is more likely if it's been going on for a long time, excessive ammounts fraudulently claimed etc.
If they've been claiming for a relatively short time I wouldn't imagine anyone would be sent to prison, I would hope that they'd be made to pay it back though.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 22/01/2007 14:47

Yes report them (you can do this anonymously).

Family or not, they are potentially taking money from people who really do need it.

airy · 22/01/2007 14:47

Even if you're not 100% sure though what harm could it do to report it, even if you're wrong?
You know he's working a couple of nights a week, I'd call and tell them that and say you're not 100% that they are claiming. All they'd have to do is look it up in their system.

zippitippitoes · 22/01/2007 14:50

maybe they claim wtc and ctc..perfectly ok to do that

AttilaTheMeerkat · 22/01/2007 14:50

Their phone number is 0800 854 440.

SpeccieSeccie · 22/01/2007 14:52

Yes, I'd report them - because I think it is morally wrong to live off the state and not contribute the taxes you owe. It is ethically the right thing to do. If you were close to them, I assume you'd confront them about their behaviour anyway, so none of those 'blood is thicker than water' arguments count.

But, if you do this, I would tell absolutely no one. There's no knowing where it could end and you will not want your name embroiled with the outcome.

ScummyMummy · 22/01/2007 15:04

no

Aloha · 22/01/2007 15:07

No.

Mercy · 22/01/2007 15:11

No.

zippitippitoes · 22/01/2007 15:15

you can get an excellent plasma tv 42in for about £800.00 by the way, hd ready

batters · 22/01/2007 15:33

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

wurlywurly · 22/01/2007 15:46

this is a tough one. My MIL was doing this she was working full time cash in hand in a cafe next door to the job centre , she did it for bout 4 years and had the blardy cheek to blame us when she got found out,(we was getting married and she told benefits people she had done it to help us out!!, My parents paid for our wedding, dont know where her money went)

For me it would depend if i liked the person or not

Original poster
wouldyougrass · 22/01/2007 17:32

i asked DH and he thinks they both get income support for illness (bad back & depression / anxiety) he thinks

hes not sure exactly if that is the benefit is but he knows they do get something as the relative was saying recently

OP posts:
VioletBaudelaire · 22/01/2007 17:38

batters, I agree with your post.

wotzsaname · 22/01/2007 17:47

I have re-typed this 3 times and i think i will just say Yes.
You must have given it some thought to ask here. I would suggest you sleep on it for a few days, they have annoyed you about the TV and the fact that the money could be spent elsewhere.

SpaceCadet · 22/01/2007 17:48

if you are certain, then report them, but as batters says, do it for the right reasons..

benefit fraud is still benefit fraud though at the end of the day

buffythenappyslayer · 22/01/2007 18:06

my auntie and uncle were claiming gawd knows how many benefits.she satys at home (claiming to be disabled) ad he claims carers allowance (for supposedly looking after her) and they both claim housing and council tax benefit.

uncle builds sodding houses for people and earns a blinking fortune!!he doesnt pay tax,they get free nhs treatment/prescriptions etc,and they go on holidays 3 times a year (this year they are going to egypt,mexico and bulgaria.

my mum reported them (its her sister) a few months ago.

we were so miffed because my mum and step dad have always worked,paid taxes like everyone else,but could only manage 1 holiday to bognor in 10 years!!(they ran a shop up until last year)

my dh works full time and is a retained fireman aswell,and we had our first holiday last year thanks to a cystic fibrosis charity.

its just so annoying that people can be so cheeky to claim benefits wrongly,and tehy should come down harder on them.

rant over now!!!

so yes,totally agree that you should report them!!

buffythenappyslayer · 22/01/2007 18:07

forgot to mention they also claimed income support or whatever it is you claim when you say you cant work!

Original poster
wouldyougrass · 22/01/2007 18:56

TBH i think i AM pissed off about the TV

they just claim to be so poor and cant afford a car, are in debt, still live at home and hate it

she was claiming she was sad because theyll never be able to afford to mget married ect

but can afford to waste money on that

im just pissed i suppose

and dont really like them anymore

suppose i shouldnt do it as its out of anger and frustration,

OP posts:
AnAngelWithin · 22/01/2007 19:02

yes and have done. My sister owed me money and claimed benefit as a single parent when she wasnt, applied for government grants which she wasnt entitled to. She refused to pay me back the money she owed me, so probably out of spite at the time, i grassed on her. Looking back I probably did it on impulse cos she was horrid to me, but i think i still would have done it even if we hadn't have fallen out cos its wrong. We have had to battle for weeks to get out benefits sorted from DH being made redundant just before christmas, yet my sister seemed able to get everything just like that.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 22/01/2007 19:16

Yes I would, and I have!

Why the hell should I work and ds work (and not be able to claim anything except poxy tax credits) to pay for people who claim when they aren't entitled?? It is stealing from my little boys food table as far as I am concerned and is not acceptable.
Seems to me they are having an easy ride living with parents and the parents need to put their foot down! I would not have them living under my roof sponging!

However, if you are wrong about the situation then that's fine too, someone will look into the benefits being claimed. You will not be informed of any outcome directly though.

mumfor1standfinaltime · 22/01/2007 19:18

lol, dh works in our house obviously!

Thelittlesoldiersmummy · 22/01/2007 19:26

Yes I bloody would 40% of a large part of my salary which I work hard for goes to people like that!!! they should sort themselves out and if there is nothing wrong with them get jobs!

Tamz77 · 22/01/2007 19:27

No I wouldn't. Can't believe you're even considering it. They're living at home on benefits, and benefits are little to live on. He's working cash in hand. So what's he earning? He's on minimum wage for heaven's sake, for a few hours a week. They're going to buy a TV out of a catalogue or on some ridiculous credit scheme and probably get themselves into trouble.

Why would you want to do this? How does it benefit you except by expunging your jealousy over the fact that they're getting a plasma, and their impudent laziness, as you perceive it? Do you really despise them so much that you'd send the police round to their door and possibly land them in dire financial straits (including their baby), debt, criminal records etc. They're very young and possibly also daft, but leave them to it, surely. I think reporting them would be a hateful thing to do.