Is this fraud??

smithyjules

We have a neighbour who is claiming benefits for disability. I know there are times when she is quite poorly but often she can be seen strutting around with high heels pushing her wheelchair to the car, or posting pictures of her drunken antics and house parties all over facebook (yes I admit it I am a nosey neighbour and I looked at her profile!:o). The latest thing is that she has just posted an Avon book through the door, with a card inside advertising that she is hosting Ann Summers parties. Perhaps I'm just getting a bit cynical but this doesn't add up to me. It prob doesn't help that she's the delightful sort of neighbour who blasts her music out all day long and when politely asked to turn it down, makes me out to be a boring old fart (I'm only 28 but I do have two young children who would like a nap during the day!).

Perhaps I should just let it be, but it just seems wrong to me.

dmg24

How do you know if she is still claiming benefits, what those benefits are or indeed why she is claiming them?

If you want to report her that is up to you. On the information given no one can say whether fraud is taking place.

smithyjules

dmg, having read my post back it does seem very loose i guess. She is quite open about being "on disability" as she puts it. She can generally be heard in the garden and half way down the street when she's out the front drink in hand!On thinking about it tho I guess I have no proof and I've prob got myself in a bit of tizz over something that is none of my business . The Avon book and Ann Summers card just pushed me over the edge (which doesn't take much when you are sleep deprived lol!). Thanks for you honest reply!

dmg24

I am all for reporting benefit cheats, I would just do a bit more research first. Having said that I have had nightmare neighbours, and I would be very careful doing anything that may make them even more of a nightmare.

[Deleted User]

gets me why people cant make their own minds up about doing the "right"thing or not???

bitsandpieces

Neither drinking alcohol nor being loud/obnoxious shows that your neighbour isn't disabled. It's not uncommon for people to use a wheelchair sometimes and not at other times - they may still qualify for benefits. Ann Summers etc. can actually be quite good for disabled people - you set your own hours and can work where and when you choose. You also don't know what the neighbour is claiming disability benefits for - it might be something unrelated to what you've seen.

It's up to you whether or not to report her, but you don't have anything like proof that she's fiddling her benefits. If she does figure out that the report came from you, she may be annoyed. Assuming she is claiming honestly, I wouldn't really blame her - how would you feel if a neighbour were to falsely accuse you of something which generated loads of paperwork and hassle?

smithyjules

Thanks for the replies, as I said in my last post I may well have jumped in with both feet and made a judgement where I shouldn't, which is why I was posting. I wouldn't like to think that I would stand by and let somebody take advantage of the benefits system at all.

We were friendly in a neighbourly way when she first moved in (to a brand new 2 bed house from the local HA-the spare room she stated was for all her medication she stated and laughed at the time... we saw that this wasn't the case) so i know she has MS and she has stated she is "on disability" though the specifics are obviously not available to me.

I appreciate and understand the replies, it is always useful to have others opinions because it can be easy to go off at the deep end when someone has already proved themselves to be less than easy to live by.

Hammyman

It is quite feasible to be disabled, getting disability benefits, and working. I do that - apart from about 11 months in total over the 20 years I've had my spinal injury, I've been working. I have good days and I have bad ones. On the bad ones, I can't even stand up long enough to make myself a sandwich. On my good days I've still got pain but to a level I can deal with and I look "normal".

If she has MS then she is going to have massive swings like me. MS isn't something she's going to be cured of any time soon. The disability rates she could be on could be the lowest ones for all you know. Knowig she has MS, I'd be giving her the benefit of doubt.

gerryscot

smithyjules wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, as I said in my last post I may well have jumped in with both feet and made a judgement where I shouldn't, which is why I was posting. I wouldn't like to think that I would stand by and let somebody take advantage of the benefits system at all.

We were friendly in a neighbourly way when she first moved in (to a brand new 2 bed house from the local HA-the spare room she stated was for all her medication she stated and laughed at the time... we saw that this wasn't the case) so i know she has MS and she has stated she is "on disability" though the specifics are obviously not available to me.

I appreciate and understand the replies, it is always useful to have others opinions because it can be easy to go off at the deep end when someone has already proved themselves to be less than easy to live by.

Dont be too hard on urself ye just a wee rant :mad: :mad: :mad: , we all have a moan from time to time.

Ma wee mum used to always say its better out than in…:j :j :j

realshannon

maybe she has good medication OR the medication makes her go a little OTT sometimes OR perhaps she shouldnt be drinking with her medication! she is probably just one of those people who would have been a nightmare to live next to regardless but it could all just be a show because she isnt very well. Why dont you go to the Ann Summers party and have a laugh (or 3) with her and others, it may do you good and they are very funny!! and it would give you a chance to get to know her a bit better but yes Gerryscot is right, we all have a whinge/rant/moan from time to time especially when you dont sleep much

Duncombe

Perhaps Im a just cynical witch, but I rarely give peple the benefit of the doubt

Only you really know the situation you have described, so as Woodbine says, perhaps it is best if you make the call as to whether or not you think she is fraudulently claiming disability benefits.

Personally, I'm all for reporting people.