Help! (I bent the rules in desperation)

Fran

I would tell them, as these things are all linked up it will flag up at some stage and they are likely to be more lenient if you tell them first. Take advice from CAB first, some CABx might be able to be there when you have to do a statement under caution.

ikx

Are you saying that I am probably going to be prosecuted for this?

Fran

Well it's fraud and is a criminal offence, so that's why I suggest you take advice on it as soon as possible. It's obviously better if you own up to it now rather than them find out later. What was your mental health like at the time, did you see your doctor due to stress over the rent arrears etc? Have you got any mitigating circumstances?

ikx

Well yes - I was about to be evicted and made homeless. I don't expect the "hang him" crew to have much sympathy, but it really doesn't get more extreme, does it?

homersimpson_3

they are likely to find out and yes you can be prosecuted for both benefit and tax fraud. these offences are serious and can/will probaly affect your chances of future employment. whilst i sympathise particularly because you were at serious risk of being homeless why didn't you claim housing benefit if you were on job seekers allowance? mse is a discussion forum in which people should be able to express views- some of the responses you will agree/approve of - some you won't. i can understand where the minority are coming from - just take what advice you need/want from the replies. you may have been looking for advice and not sympathy but people should be free to express opinions. if you do 'confess' then seek advice before doing so. is this a first offence? you could end up with a prison sentence- more likely a caution and have to pay all the money back. i do sympathise but it wasn't your money- you were not entitled to it. if they do prosecute you need to tell court about previous good character- mitigating circumstances (i.e. homeless etc)

Dazzieboo

I am in 2 minds if I should post this or not !!

But, there is a family in the village where I live, who are claiming the full works, and working. One of them has been caught and prosecuted, the other 5 haven't. They have been reported on (grassed on, whatever you like to call it) loads of times and the response is always the same "we are monitoring them". I don't know how long they need to be monitored, but this has now been going on for 5 years.

So, some get away with it, others will not be so "lucky", I suppose it depends on where you live and how many other "large fish" your area has to catch first.

Fran

Another thing to consider is that if you do nothing about it now the system will throw it up at some stage and there isn't a time limit on taking it back. There have been posts on here where people have suddenly received a letter asking for an overpayment to be returned. I'm referring to the DWP benefits here, but I don't know how HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will look at it re tax credits, I suppose if you were working you were entitled to them... or were you? Also were you claiming any other benefits, Housing Ben or Council Tax Ben eg. when you were on JSA? You could owe quite a sum in a 6 month claim.

Broken_hearted

You could pray you don't get caught but its unlikely or you could own up and offer to repay.
As for taking the moral high ground I and others who don't commit fraud can take it.

violetb_2

I am sorry you are now so agonised over this, but at least that shows you have realised it was a mistake. I hope you do the right thng and that your honesty now is taken into account. There are many doing what you did, in much less need, without a moment's hesitation and who think they are somehow entitled to screw the system for as much as they can get and who never show any regret or remorse. Good luck.

Debt_Free_Chick

ikx wrote:

Are you saying that I am probably going to be prosecuted for this?

If you say/do nothing, then in all probability they WILL find out and WILL prosecute you.

It would be far better for you to own up. If you do this, you will probably avoid prosecution but still have to pay back the money.

You will need to grovel and explain how desperate you are - and pray that they are sympathetic and understand that you did this out of desperation and not purely for financial gain.

Please .... own up! Follow this link