Confirmed Benefit Fraud

jonnyboy82

well its a good job your not her friend then isnt it.....idiot

Lip_Stick

themonkeybutler wrote: »

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

Sorry, but I'm less likely to commit fraud then the people who rely solely on benefits. For instance they could have a partner move in with them, or be working cash in hand. It's not about having the checks, it's about single parents being singled out, if you excuse the pun.

flutterby_lil

I am a single parent, claim HB, CB, CTB, CTC and WTC but have never had one of these visits?

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

flutterby_lil wrote: »

I am a single parent, claim HB, CB, CTB, CTC and WTC but have never had one of these visits?

I think they are mainly due to people reporting you for benefit fraud.

mitchaa

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

Oh dear oh dear.

Possible criminal record, possible custodial sentence.

However it could just be possible that if she owns upto it, she just gets a reprimand, i.e pay the money back and don't do it again kind of thing.

Sorry, but this is blatant fraud. I have no idea why people think they can get away with it especially seeing, that all it takes in this scenario is 1 phone call from HMRC to the childcare provider.

''Hello, do you have Bethany Jamieson monday to friday? Who? Bethany Jamieson? No sir, we do not have any children here by that name,''

Caught by a 15sec telephone conversation. At least those claiming to be ''single'' have half a chance as it is a lot harder to prove, but this 1 is so easy that she wont have a leg to stand on.