Surely she can't actually do this?

Ancilla

I'm not usually bothered by the litle things BUT...

Last week I finally told my friends that HE had left and all the gory details. Most were ok with it, a few I could see were a little off with me (obviously now I'm single I'll be after their husbands of course....I know what they were thinking). One of my friends was very interested in the financial details of it all. At first I thought she was just concerned for me and worried I wasn't going to be able to afford to live. Ex has been gone for weeks now and all he's contributed to date is £45, but that's another story. As I know her quite well I was quite happy to be really open about it all.

HOWEVER. She rang me last night and told me that she is in £15,000 worth of debt! She is considering sending her partner to live in a bedsit for a year while she remains in the family home to claim benefits. She says that looking at 'how well I'm doing'(!!!??!) financially now, she's worked out that by living seperately she thinks their debt can be cleared in under a year. I think she's thinking she can get rent+council tax paid+tax credits while her man keeps all of his salary for debt payments. SHe has 2 children and doesn't work. He is very well paid and they are a really nice happy family so I just don't understand why a) they are in debt and b) they'd want to split up like this. I told her she was barking but she's adamant this is 'a good plan'. I really quite cross as I'm sat here slowly selling off my possessions to feed my children and I think she's taking the mick.

Surely she wouldn't be able to get away with this? Angry with her as I am, I also don't want to see her in prison for trying to pull a silly stunt like this for a quick buck. Or is it none of my business and have I become bitter and twisted already?

brians_daughter

she is living in cloud cookoo land, she sounds very desperate and if you have divulged your finances she may be thinmking she can get all that whilst her oh can pay the debts off... what she is doing is wrong...but in all reality he will still have rent/ct etc to pay so i cant see why they cant just do an SOA and work hard to pay it off like everyone else!

All you need to do is think about you and your kids, and if she is in a desperate situation maybe you can help her do an SOA?

Violetta_2

She probably could do it but it would be fraud. they risk being caught. (and the way things are going the Government may cut a lot of benefits anyway) She could probably clear her debts a lot quicker if she got her partner bumped off (assuming they are insured). Then again perhaps she could get a job. That would be legal.
I do wonder how people can sleep at night sometimes?
Don't think you are bitter & twisted just someone with morals & that isn't a bad thing.

pigpen

I'd smile and nod and let her get on with it.. silly woman... it is probably just pie in the sky waffle and she won't do it.. or maybe she is looking for a way to get rid of her hubby too.. either way I'd focus on my life and family and let her learn from her own stupidity.

LJM

i would just let her get on with it and get on with your own life if she does it she will get caught out eventually

SandC

Yeah just let her get on with it. His bills will swamp debt repayment and probably wouldn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

What she hasn't considered is that either one of them might like the arrangement after all and the split becomes permanent. If it's because she likes her new lifestyle so much he could become difficult in paying maintenance and helping towards the debt. You said 'she' is in debt to £15,000 - if they are not married then he isn't liable for that debt so that would be down to her if he scarpers. He could meet another woman, set up home with her.

Whatever happens it would never be as straight forward as she thinks.

kimmi_b

Not only can she do it, but I know of a couple who 'weren't together' - they claimed several thousand pounds of benefits before deciding to go the legal route and get married and stop claiming. They now boost their income by him being self-employed and not declaring all to the taxman, so she gets to go back to college and retrain in a new career for free as they are officially a low income family!

Makes me pig bloody sick as me and OH are working hard to get debts paid and do everything by the book

Ah well, I like doing things the right way, makes me feel far superior morally, if not financially!

retireby50

kimmi_b wrote: »

Not only can she do it, but I know of a couple who 'weren't together' - they claimed several thousand pounds of benefits before deciding to go the legal route and get married and stop claiming. They now boost their income by him being self-employed and not declaring all to the taxman, so she gets to go back to college and retrain in a new career for free as they are officially a low income family!

Makes me pig bloody sick as me and OH are working hard to get debts paid and do everything by the book

Ah well, I like doing things the right way, makes me feel far superior morally, if not financially!

If it annoys you that much can't you report them anonymously?

gratefulforhelp_2

She's not a friend, Ancilla, just ignore her as has been said.

Good to hear though, that you are doing so well your associates want to copy you. Go you!

sassyblue

SandC wrote: »

Yeah just let her get on with it. His bills will swamp debt repayment and probably wouldn't make much difference in the grand scheme of things.

What she hasn't considered is that either one of them might like the arrangement after all and the split becomes permanent. If it's because she likes her new lifestyle so much he could become difficult in paying maintenance and helping towards the debt. You said 'she' is in debt to £15,000 - if they are not married then he isn't liable for that debt so that would be down to her if he scarpers. He could meet another woman, set up home with her.

Whatever happens it would never be as straight forward as she thinks.

Think this post is excellent advice.

I don't like the sound of your friend! She's got herself into debt and if she takes tax-payers money falsely to pay it off then she'll never learn to change her habits in future..... the public purse is there for people in need not to pay off debt that someone got themself into. :mad:

I'd report her anonymously because it's theft, but be take it from me that section of Government is absolutely swamped and your report might never be followed up on. :mad:

omnyomi

Utter madness to me, a plan that is very risky and could backfire in many ways she obviously has not considered. If he is earning decent money how on earth can they not cut back a little and sort their finances using this site?