Help! (I bent the rules in desperation)

Quiet_Life

Surely the very fact that you are asking the question confirms that you know deep down that what you did was wrong. Most of us have been in dire financial straits at some time and it can be very hard; but it isn't the government you are defrauding at the end of the day, it's all those ordinary people who pay tax (just like me)
No matter how many people tell you to come clean or those who tell you to forget all about it, you have to decide what you are going to do about it.

ikx

it isn't the government you are defrauding at the end of the day, it's all those ordinary people who pay tax (just like me)

Give me a break, Quiet Life. I too, have paid my fair share of tax in my time. Don't pretend that I personally am squandering your tax contributions. If you have an issue with that, write to your MP and ask him how many incendiary bombs your taxes paid for to burn the skin off little girls in Fallujah.

Penny-Pincher!!

Either call them or don't.....dead simple!!

People have made you aware of your options and possible consequences, so now its your choice and you have to decide what way your going to play it.

Good luck whatever you choose.

PP
xx

Quiet_Life

You said 'Give me a break, Quiet Life.'
Certainly, Sorry I misunderstood your post, I thought you felt you had done something wrong, when obviously you are only worried about being caught.
The guy who stole my husbands nat ins no. is probably just as worried as you are.
sleep well

ben500

If you volunteer the information yourself it is extremely unlikely you will be prosecuted, most likely they will sit down with you and offer a method of payback that you can afford under your current circumstances, they are not stupid they appreciate the fact that to criminalise you would most likely make you unemployable or in the very least reduce your eaning capacity severely, they want you in work and paying up, they don't want you so pinched by the payments it is likely to encourage you to do similar in the future. A relative of mine was in a similar position having taken a job over the Christmas period on a casual basis to provide for his family, he later got offered the position full time, unfortunately he had used a false name on his application, he was distraught when they offered him the job as it was the answer to his financial and domestic situation but thought that if he took it his world would tumble down on him, he came to my brother and I to discuss his dillema.
I made one call to what was then the DHSS {I don't know what guise they are currently under,} and to all our amazement the reaction from them was outstanding, they gave me a code number for him to quote and stated categorically that provided he called them up and spilled his guts quoting the code number he would NOT be prosecuted, and that was based on the minimal information I gave about his situation, he went on to make the call, they fulfilled their promise and even told him not to sign off for THREE MONTHS and to use that time to prepare for the losses in benefit. They assured him that should his employers ever contact them about his name not matching his insurance number (yes that's right wrong name right number supplied, he was doomed to discovery) they would confirm all is correct and that they had no concerns about him, they also informed the inland revenue of the situation, and the most helpful thing of all to him is they didn't even make him pay back the benefits he had fraudulently obtained. They turned a nightmare into a dream for him at a very low time in his life, he has never been on benefits since then, which was over 14yrs ago, times change but I would expect the ethos of helping people back into work which is exactly what they did for him remains.

GUMPO

ikx wrote:

Thanks to all that have contributed to this. To the moral minority: remember, I was looking for advice, not your "sympathy". It is not your job to hang those you do not know.

Not sympathy just a comment. I personally would be prepared to do just about anything to look after me and mine if I fell on desperate times. Well done to you for having the morals to want to correct it now you are back on your feet.

ikx

Quiet_Life wrote:

You said 'Give me a break, Quiet Life.'
Certainly, Sorry I misunderstood your post, I thought you felt you had done something wrong, when obviously you are only worried about being caught.
The guy who stole my husbands nat ins no. is probably just as worried as you are.
sleep well

We have clearly misunderstood each other! I actually was the guy who stole your husband's nat ins no [sic]; and I shall sleep extremely well indeed - given that I have just splashed out on a four-poster bed with the proceeds.

ben500

ben500 wrote:

If you volunteer the information yourself it is extremely unlikely you will be prosecuted, most likely they will sit down with you and offer a method of payback that you can afford under your current circumstances, they are not stupid they appreciate the fact that to criminalise you would most likely make you unemployable or in the very least reduce your eaning capacity severely, they want you in work and paying up, they don't want you so pinched by the payments it is likely to encourage you to do similar in the future. A relative of mine was in a similar position having taken a job over the Christmas period on a casual basis to provide for his family, he later got offered the position full time, unfortunately he had used a false name on his application, he was distraught when they offered him the job as it was the answer to his financial and domestic situation but thought that if he took it his world would tumble down on him, he came to my brother and I to discuss his dillema.
I made one call to what was then the DHSS {I don't know what guise they are currently under,} and to all our amazement the reaction from them was outstanding, they gave me a code number for him to quote and stated categorically that provided he called them up and spilled his guts quoting the code number he would NOT be prosecuted, and that was based on the minimal information I gave about his situation, he went on to make the call, they fulfilled their promise and even told him not to sign off for THREE MONTHS and to use that time to prepare for the losses in benefit. They assured him that should his employers ever contact them about his name not matching his insurance number (yes that's right wrong name right number supplied, he was doomed to discovery) they would confirm all is correct and that they had no concerns about him, they also informed the inland revenue of the situation, and the most helpful thing of all to him is they didn't even make him pay back the benefits he had fraudulently obtained. They turned a nightmare into a dream for him at a very low time in his life, he has never been on benefits since then, which was over 14yrs ago, times change but I would expect the ethos of helping people back into work which is exactly what they did for him remains.

I specifically asked to speak with their fraud investigation department, I spoke anonimously.

ikx

I specifically asked to speak with their fraud investigation department, I spoke anonimously

Thanks, ben500. Will let you know how I get on.

Penny-Pincher!!

ikx-I think your wasting everyones time now!

You have the answers to your original post, and only you can decide what is the correct direction.

PP