Benefit cheat - but family member - help?

consultant31

jamesey07 wrote: »

well most of the MPs r still in there jobs so i don't think all that rage has really had any effect, yeah they know people r angry but they no in time most of it will be forgot about and sure even if they r not re-elected won't they still be getting a fortune anyway.. do you think jail really helps people who go there? i've known quite a few people who have been inside and believe me a lot of them enjoyed it inside, and if you think it helps people your wrong, maybe some people jail does them good but most of the time crims come out with a whole host of "new crim friends" would i wanna be someone who reported someone and had to look over my shoulder the rest of my life if that person was to be jailed the answer is no, and believe people who r jailed never forget about that person who put them there,

I don't think you and I are ever going to agree on much.

I never said that going to jail helps people, because frankly I'm not sure it does help a hardened criminal. The one thing we may agree on is that the jails we have seem to be 'universities' of crime, where the criminal can learn his trade.

BUT, that's the system in this country. If you want a different system it has to be through a democratic process.

As for looking over your shoulder the rest of your life for reporting someone who has done wrong.........it takes guts to report someone you see doing wrong, but I'd still do it, though I'm no hero. I'd do it anonymously, and if that makes me a 'snitch', well it doesn't bother me in the slightest

Don't you think taking your own revenge will leave you looking over your shoulder in case they (or their friends) come after you? If it wasn't so frightening wondering how many other people think and act like you apparently do, I'd laugh.

The law is often ridiculously perverse, but it's all we have if we want to remain a civilised society which, hopefully, most of us do.

Sarahlou_2

BeenieCat wrote: »

Spendless i'm sure she'll pop another one out by then if she is really determined not to work.

:rotfl:for reasons I won't go in to on here, I can't see it somehow.

kelloggs36

carolinosourus wrote: »

So what if she was getting £200 per week and still claiming benefits? Would you still be supporting this woman? It's illegal whatever the amount is. Surely if someone does something illegal then they should be punished? Rather than having this 'one rule for one and another for someone else'?

And as for the Prosecution costs, once this lady has been found guilty (trust me, the general public do NOT like benefit cheats) if she doesn't plead guilty, then more than likely the CPS will request that Prosecution costs are paid, it's usually about £70, which will be taken off her benefits. She may be made to do unpaid work, have supervision with the Probation service, or be sent to prison. Who's going to look after the children then? Guess she should have thought about that one...

Remember, that prosecution happens once whereas this person will be scamming £50 each week for a long time. Surely a prosecution is more cost-effective to the honest, law-abiding tax-payer in the long-run?

And as for giving evidence, she could do it by a prepared statement to be read out in court.

Having been a fraud investigator for the DSS I can unfortunately state that magistrates do not punish fraudsters. They nearly always NEVER award costs, so the taxpayer does have to pay for the costs of the hearing etc, and all they have to do is pay it back - they get a conditional discharge. Only huge cases which involve crown court get taken seriously. Believe me, I have prepared enough cases where overpayments have been in the region of 15k and expected a bigger penalty, but it was not. However, I would still report anybody committing fraud - fraud is fraud is fraud.

I don't think that she would be allowed expenses for childminding unless she was doing it legitimately ie via OFSTED and was therefore registered.

annitahamnett

I totally agree with Belfastgirl, i think this person has another agenda other than being worried about her cheating the system. There are much worse things going on to get angry about! well paid politicians claiming expenses for !!!!!! flims etc., which we are paying for! put your energy into that, or offer to help her out.

red_devil

Sarahlou wrote: »

Hi,

I'm in a bit of a dilemma.....I have two SILs (Hubbys sisters). SIL 1 (21 years old)is a single parent to a 4 year old, lives on her own (although still gets her backside wiped by MIL and FIL....). She does not work and gets her rent paid and various other benefits. She has no inclination to work. She seriously lets hard working single mums down.....many ladies on here would seriously put her to shame :mad:

The other SIL pays her £50 a week in cash to look after her daughter (2 years old). Everyone in the family justifies this by saying "well X couldn't manage on benefits otherwise".

I was chatting to SIL 1 the other day about why doesnt she look for a part time job maybe now her son is going to school, to get her out of the house and give her a bit of adult conversation, when SIL 2 butted in, went mad and said "don't say that. I wont have a childminder then". I hasten to add, SIL 1 does nothing with the children and sits on her !!!! all day, watching TV, both children are very behind speech wise etc IMO.

I don't know why but this really wound me up. Maybe its because we both work, maybe because we have paid a lot for good quality childcare in the past, who knows! SIL2 is always gloating about materialistic things she has and doesn't understand that because we are honest people, we have to make sacrifices in our lives!

I keep seeing more and more "report a benefit thief" adverts and it makes me so tempted. But am I being harsh???????? What would you guys do? Report them or turn a blind eye???

nope I wouldnt and it WOULD BE FAR TOO OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS YOU AND WORLD WAR 3 would kick off!

if you want to help and you have time offer to go round and play with the kids/take them out or whatever, offer to go out with her with them etc if you are worried that they are watching too much TV. perhaps you could all go swimming for example.

elvis86

Sarahlou wrote: »

:rotfl:for reasons I won't go in to on here, I can't see it somehow.

Has she decided that she's a lesbian now? I only say this because I have seen 2 single mothers declare that they're lesbians, only to suddenly get an appetite for men again shortly before their youngest kid starts school...

Personally I'd shop her. She sounds like a lazy c*w who needs a kick up the backside, and if your offers of encouragement don't interest her, perhaps the attention of the benefit fraud people will..;)

Lucy1973

elvis86 wrote: »

Has she decided that she's a lesbian now? I only say this because I have seen 2 single mothers declare that they're lesbians, only to suddenly get an appetite for men again shortly before their youngest kid starts school...

Personally I'd shop her. She sounds like a lazy c*w who needs a kick up the backside, and if your offers of encouragement don't interest her, perhaps the attention of the benefit fraud people will..;)

Erm..this thread is 2 years old now LOL

elvis86

Lucy1973 wrote: »

Erm..this thread is 2 years old now LOL

Ooops forgotten I was looking at a list of search results (incidentally not related to benefit fraud!) and not the most recent threads!:o

clearingout

janninew wrote: »

I really don't undserstand all this 'its hard living on benefits rubbish.' She will have to do like the rest of us and get a job then! I work with several single parents who do a wonderful job, why should there taxes pay for her to sit at home. I know its not easy, but thats the choice you make and plently of people do it.

It's a choice to be a single parent? I'm a single parent, my children were born within marriage. I didn't choose for my ex husband to have an affair and leave me. I am not a single parent by choice, no. I suspect you will find many single parents didn't make that choice either or if they did, it was because of abuse or violence in their relationships. And many of us 'not by choice single parents' have also spent time on benefits and I suspect I speak for many when I say 'don't tar me with the stereotypical single parent on benefits brush. You know nothing at all about what lead me to be in that situation or why it took some time to get out of'.

It's sooooo tiring to hear the same old carp about single parents all the time. Stop reading the Daily Mail and start looking, listening and above all thinking about what happens to people for their lives to be where they are.

moomoomama27

Not read all the comments, but if it were me, I would 100% report her! It's a crime shes committing, that crime is fraud, it desn't matter how small the amount of money, it's the principle.

If she finds it hard living off benefits, then she should get a job, and fund the lifestyle she wants with hard work.

I was a single Mum, I hadm at one point 3 jobs to ensure my child had everything she needed. I wouldn't have even contemplated doing a job on the side and not declaring money. It's wrong, and shouldn't matter if it's a family member.