Advice urgently needed coming off lone parent benefits

nigelp_4

To cut a long story short, six years ago I was giving a council flat for me (at the time I was 19) and my baby son. His father was working away and initially wasnt much help, so I claimed lone parent benefits (so naive, thinking it was too much hassle claiming tax credits etc...), housing, council tax, income support etc etc, then very shortly after that, my partner and I worked things out. He still worked away but he came back to live with me at weekends.2 years down the line, partner now living fulltime (he earned £100 a week)but not told benefit agency, I then got a place at uni for 3 years to qualify as a radiologist...so came off benefits thru term times but back on them outside term times and qualified for student loans etc. 3years passed I've qualified can't get a job so since september 2010 I claimed again for 'lone parent' which I got, but now partner says we should live as a couple and claim tax credits etc (Ironically I've done calculations and we would have been much better off all this time) Now the thing that worries me the most and I'm getting very stressed about it. Is, if I now stopped claim then re-claimed and gave partners details to hmrc, dwp and housing benefit will they investigate him as to where he has been for 6 years ie thru his ni. number because it is registered at my address......also his drving licence, his bank details etc etc etc I'm very scared what will happen.....

Gleeful

nigelp wrote: »

To cut a long story short, six years ago I was giving a council flat for me (at the time I was 19) and my baby son. His father was working away and initially wasnt much help, so I claimed lone parent benefits (so naive, thinking it was too much hassle claiming tax credits etc...), housing, council tax, income support etc etc, then very shortly after that, my partner and I worked things out. He still worked away but he came back to live with me at weekends.2 years down the line, partner now living fulltime (he earned £100 a week)but not told benefit agency, I then got a place at uni for 3 years to qualify as a radiologist...so came off benefits thru term times but back on them outside term times and qualified for student loans etc. 3years passed I've qualified can't get a job so since september 2010 I claimed again for 'lone parent' which I got, but now partner says we should live as a couple and claim tax credits etc (Ironically I've done calculations and we would have been much better off all this time) Now the thing that worries me the most and I'm getting very stressed about it. Is, if I now stopped claim then re-claimed and gave partners details to hmrc, dwp and housing benefit will they investigate him as to where he has been for 6 years ie thru his ni. number because it is registered at my address......also his drving licence, his bank details etc etc etc I'm very scared what will happen.....

No, they will investigate you, and rightly so, as you have committed benefit fraud for 6 years!!

dmg24

Your post does not make much sense. Can you clarify where the boyfriend has been living for the past six years?

Gleeful

dmg24 wrote: »

Your post does not make much sense. Can you clarify where the boyfriend has been living for the past six years?

With her, I gathered.

dmg24

Gleeful wrote: »

With her, I gathered.

I'm guessing that too, but it's a bit of a ramble ... and just in case the story changes later, thought it best to check.

karenx

So he has been registered as living with you in every respect apart from with benefits?
Past 6 years you have not been a single parent so you shouldnt of been claiming income support and lone parent tax credits and also housing benefit. So you will find you will have a massive overpayment of thousands you will have to pay back. And no you cant backdate your joint claim for 6 years

nigelp_4

at gleeful thats not entirely true

giraffejoe

karenx wrote: »

So he has been registered as living with you in every respect apart from with benefits?
Past 6 years you have not been a single parent so you shouldnt of been claiming income support and lone parent tax credits and also housing benefit. So you will find you will have a massive overpayment of thousands you will have to pay back. And no you cant backdate your joint claim for 6 years

Not sure how it works with other benefits but for HB/CTB...

If they deemed that you have been living together for all the time you have received HB/CTB you should provide evidence of your partner's income for this period as if you would have qualified for benefit under your correct circumstances they will use the benefit you should have received to net down the overpayment for the benefit that you shouldn't have received.

For example if you have an overpayment of £500 but you were entitled to £100 as a couple your overpayment will be for £400.

Are you going to declare that you partner has been living with you?

dmg24

nigelp wrote: »

at gleeful thats not entirely true

So what is entirely true?

Mupette

nigelp wrote: »

at gleeful thats not entirely true

so what is the truth?

If your man has been living with you for 6 years, and yet you claim (knowningly, don't say you didn't know your don't come accross as dense) lone parents benefit.

To answer your question, they might investigate, they might not.

But don't think you got away with it if your not investigated, things like this doesn't go away there is no 6 year rule or statute barred. 10 15 or 20 years down the line you will be found out, better to fess up to them now rather than later..

no wonder i get called a scrounger with people like you around, hang your head and be ashamed.

nigelp_4

ok thanks for advice, anyway I've cancelled single claim now and informed them of partner has being living with me.....