Incapicity benefit and working

missteapot

Hi there, need some advice. I have just found out that my idiot of a boyfriend has still been claiming his incapacity benefit while working!!! He hadn't worked for over 2 years due to severe depression and anxiety and was getting incapacity benefit, housing benefit, council tax benefit, cold weather payments, etc. With my support he found a job last September - 16 hours a week minumum wage but has now told me that he never told the job centre that he had started working as he didn't want to loose his benefits. He was still receiving his benefits until last week but they have now stopped. I suspect that someone may have reported him. I can't believe he has done this and am worried what will happen now. Any advice would be appreciated.

passatrider

I'm just wondering did he get tax credits as well?

missteapot

Hi there, no he never got tax credits.

passatrider

I really think he ought to contact the relevant benefit providers(JCP/HB &CT) and be completely up front and honest.

My guess is he will have to pay back all the money that was wrongfully claimed and that will be the end of it.

Yes it is wrong what he's done and deserves everything he gets to be honest. However, we all make mistakes so lets hope he learns from this.

missteapot

hi again, thanks for your advice. I am really annoyed with him for what he has done and i agree he does deserve everything he gets. He's on his own this time!

paddedjohn

With a bit of luck he will end up in court on fraud charges. Its not an unfortunate mistake to claim when you shouldnt, its theft from the state/taxpayer and leaves the pot that little bit emptier for the genuine claiments.

missteapot

I agree with you entirely, i am taxpayer and feel that he has indeed stolen from me, my family and friends who all work and pay our taxes.

passatrider

paddedjohn wrote: »

With a bit of luck he will end up in court on fraud charges. Its not an unfortunate mistake to claim when you shouldnt, its theft from the state/taxpayer and leaves the pot that little bit emptier for the genuine claiments.

Yes, drag him through the courts you say even if he comes clean beforehand.

Waste more taxpayers money!

dmg24

passatrider wrote: »

Yes, drag him through the courts you say even if he comes clean beforehand.

Waste more taxpayers money!

The time to have come clean would be before starting work. If I commit murder and admit to it before I am caught does that mean I should not be tried in a court of law?

(Sorry missteapot, not comparing the offence to murder, just demonstrating the point!)

Jowo_2

His best bet is to cooperate in full if he is called in for an interview, to plan the repayment of the excess benefits and to research very carefully the criteria which the DWP tend to undertake prosecutions. My understanding is that they consider various factors, including the early cooperation by the candidate, how long the fraud has gone on for and so forth.

Someone working part time can still be eligible for council tax reduction, some housing benefit and so on, they don't all cease the moment he earned a penny.

Use the Turn2us online benefit calculator to work out his current genuine benefit entitlements, the likely overpayment that he must pay back and so on.

dmg24

The sad thing is that, had he been honest, he could have done some permitted work.