Confirmed Benefit Fraud

afriend_inneed

Before you label me a troll - I post under a different name.

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

Today, what I had originally thought was confirmed! A very good friend of mine admitted she has been claiming more tax credits and possibly housing benefit than she should have! A lot more and has been doing so for over a year.

She has got herself into debt (not quite sure how much) but she said that it would all be back to normal come October.

Now I am not condoning what she done - debt or no debt, but she is now terrified what will happen.

Like the rest of them, she thought she was lucky enough not to get caught.

She is in receipt of housing benefit and they are wanting to arrange a home visit? (never heard of that before?) but she wrote back telling them it was not suitable, however they have now got back to her stating the date she gave was outwith their timescale so she has to phone to arrange another visit.

That letter arrived a few weeks ago which kind of explains her change in behaviour.

Today was the straw that broke the camels back I think. She renewed her tax credits a few weeks and today, she received a letter and they are wanting a list of payments she made to the childcare provider from April 09 to June this year, only she has one rather large problem - her childcare has not been round the clock - infact it's been school holidays!!

I am at a loss what to say to her - she knows she has done wrong and wants to admit it but she is terrified of the outcome. I know she has depression and today she was wanting to run away, kill herself, leave the country etc all of which would not solve any of the problems.

I know and you know and she has finally admitted she has brouhgt it on herself. Is there anyone (professionally) she can talk to? Will it look better if she holds her hands up and admits what she has done?

I honestly don't know what to do or say to her - I did suspect she might have been at it but as she works - I just assumed that her job paid well!
Kind of kicking myself for not saying something to her sooner - maybe she would not be in such a mess.

Think the sum she will have to pay the Inland Revenue is approx £4k and housing office £1.5k? I'm guessing - could be more could be less.

Any constructive advice would be appreciated

[Deleted User]

afriend_inneed wrote: »

Before you label me a troll - I post under a different name.

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

Today, what I had originally thought was confirmed! A very good friend of mine admitted she has been claiming more tax credits and possibly housing benefit than she should have! A lot more and has been doing so for over a year.

She has got herself into debt (not quite sure how much) but she said that it would all be back to normal come October.

Now I am not condoning what she done - debt or no debt, but she is now terrified what will happen.

Like the rest of them, she thought she was lucky enough not to get caught.

She is in receipt of housing benefit and they are wanting to arrange a home visit? (never heard of that before?) but she wrote back telling them it was not suitable, however they have now got back to her stating the date she gave was outwith their timescale so she has to phone to arrange another visit.

That letter arrived a few weeks ago which kind of explains her change in behaviour.

Today was the straw that broke the camels back I think. She renewed her tax credits a few weeks and today, she received a letter and they are wanting a list of payments she made to the childcare provider from April 09 to June this year, only she has one rather large problem - her childcare has not been round the clock - infact it's been school holidays!!

I am at a loss what to say to her - she knows she has done wrong and wants to admit it but she is terrified of the outcome. I know she has depression and today she was wanting to run away, kill herself, leave the country etc all of which would not solve any of the problems.

I know and you know and she has finally admitted she has brouhgt it on herself. Is there anyone (professionally) she can talk to? Will it look better if she holds her hands up and admits what she has done?

I honestly don't know what to do or say to her - I did suspect she might have been at it but as she works - I just assumed that her job paid well!
Kind of kicking myself for not saying something to her sooner - maybe she would not be in such a mess.

Think the sum she will have to pay the Inland Revenue is approx £4k and housing office £1.5k? I'm guessing - could be more could be less.

Any constructive advice would be appreciated

Find a good lawyer

Jowo_2

Find a benefits advice agency or book an appointment to CAB to see if they can tell her the best way to deal with this and outline some of the action that these departments could take, plus the consequences.

Persuade her to post a statement of accounts on the Debt Free Wannabee board or visit CAB in order for her to come up with a legitimate strategy for dealing with them. You say she's well paid, but you also say she's on the fiddle, and she's still saddled with debts so these need a review by an expert, particularly because at the very least she's due to repay a significant sum, possibly even lose her job if she gets convicted of fraud, rather than an ostrich approach which says vaguely that they'll be fixed by October.

For her depression, encourage her to visit the GP and join a local support group for depression sufferers.

Hannah_10

She can get immediate telephone advice from Community Legal Advice and should do so asap. As they have extended opening hours then this evening might be possible, all she has to do is phone up. If she qualifies for legal aid (she does) then thier advice is free/confidental. They don't just do benefits advice, they also do criminal law advice and so can help her wherever this is heading.

DreamerV

I would suggest with tax credits she comes clean as being seen to be compliant will be in her favour. She needs to be honest about all the amounts, and make sure she gets her claim full corrected. As long as she is still due money, her overpayment will come out of her future payments anyhow, so will not be a massive bill in itself. If she is non-compliant when they are asking for information she is more likely to be penalised. If she is honest, they will usually just recalculate the award after correcting it.

Lip_Stick

Housing Benefit officers make home visits all the time. I've been claiming a small amount for the last three years, and I'm having yet another visit from an officer tomorrow morning. They gave me 4 days notice. Nice of them.

TBH I'm p'd off with it. I know a couple of people who aren't working, live entirely off benefits but don't get the checks that I do.

themonkeybutler

Lip_Stick wrote: »

Housing Benefit officers make home visits all the time. I've been claiming a small amount for the last three years, and I'm having yet another visit from an officer tomorrow morning. They gave me 4 days notice. Nice of them.

The opening post shows how important these checks are, so you cant complain at having them yourself.

BLT_2

Hannah_10 wrote: »

She can get immediate telephone advice from Community Legal Advice and should do so asap. As they have extended opening hours then this evening might be possible, all she has to do is phone up. If she qualifies for legal aid (she does) then thier advice is free/confidental. They don't just do benefits advice, they also do criminal law advice and so can help her wherever this is heading.

What a great system we have in this country, the OPs friend defrauds the taxpayer and then gets to claim legal aid (funded by the taxpayer) to defend her case.

You couldn't make it up.:rotfl:

kingfisherblue

In my area, if you are claiming council tax benefit, officers quite often visit people at home to do checks and to renew benefit claims. It doesn't worry me. In fact, it saves the cost of going into town and it's more pleasant to wait in my own home than in a crowded waiting room.

hippy-chicy

Lip_Stick wrote: »

Housing Benefit officers make home visits all the time. I've been claiming a small amount for the last three years, and I'm having yet another visit from an officer tomorrow morning. They gave me 4 days notice. Nice of them.

TBH I'm p'd off with it. I know a couple of people who aren't working, live entirely off benefits but don't get the checks that I do.

The fact that you are working is the reason that you will be visited. Working age customers who in receipt of earnings, Tax Credits, pay child care etc have a lot more changes in their income than someone who is on a passported benefit. Its nothing to do with fraud or them thinking you are commitiing fraud, but from a 'changes in income' point of view you are more likely to have more changes than some one on a fixed income of JSA/IS/PC. That is why your claim will be reviewed on a regular basis. To be honest its better for you that they do review your claim that way you know you are in receipt of everything you are entitled to and it also prevents overpayments.

To the OP your friend needs to come clean with HB/CTB and Tax credits as soon as she can. The sooner it is sorted the better. She will not be able to hide this from them they will find out sooner or later. They have already started the review process they will not 'give up and go away'. Her claim will be suspended if she does not arrange another date for the visit and then it will be cancelled. I dont know what the policy is in the LA that is dealing with her claim but all non compliant reviews in my LA are referred to our fraud department. I am not saying that to scare you but that is the case. The sooner she deals with it the better for her all round. She will end up with an overpayment that she will need to pay back but she can come to an affordable arrangement with the LA for this.

andyandflo

afriend_inneed wrote: »

Before you label me a troll - I post under a different name.

Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

Today, what I had originally thought was confirmed! A very good friend of mine admitted she has been claiming more tax credits and possibly housing benefit than she should have! A lot more and has been doing so for over a year.

She has got herself into debt (not quite sure how much) but she said that it would all be back to normal come October.

Now I am not condoning what she done - debt or no debt, but she is now terrified what will happen.

Like the rest of them, she thought she was lucky enough not to get caught.

She is in receipt of housing benefit and they are wanting to arrange a home visit? (never heard of that before?) but she wrote back telling them it was not suitable, however they have now got back to her stating the date she gave was outwith their timescale so she has to phone to arrange another visit.

That letter arrived a few weeks ago which kind of explains her change in behaviour.

Today was the straw that broke the camels back I think. She renewed her tax credits a few weeks and today, she received a letter and they are wanting a list of payments she made to the childcare provider from April 09 to June this year, only she has one rather large problem - her childcare has not been round the clock - infact it's been school holidays!!

I am at a loss what to say to her - she knows she has done wrong and wants to admit it but she is terrified of the outcome. I know she has depression and today she was wanting to run away, kill herself, leave the country etc all of which would not solve any of the problems.

I know and you know and she has finally admitted she has brouhgt it on herself. Is there anyone (professionally) she can talk to? Will it look better if she holds her hands up and admits what she has done?

I honestly don't know what to do or say to her - I did suspect she might have been at it but as she works - I just assumed that her job paid well!
Kind of kicking myself for not saying something to her sooner - maybe she would not be in such a mess.

Think the sum she will have to pay the Inland Revenue is approx £4k and housing office £1.5k? I'm guessing - could be more could be less.

Any constructive advice would be appreciated

If I was your friend I would be packing a small suitcase, getting the washing and ironing up to date!