Would you report someone you knew for benefit fraud?

burtons

WeeBabyDoll wrote: »

What I dont get is why you would want to report her. It doesnt affect you at all. I would do absolutly anything for my family.

It does affect me as we had a letter saying our rent is going up by £4, now i will be worse off as my wages haven't gone up. She was at the school friday say that she is going to have her hair cut and it's going to cost £80.

janninew

I always have to wonder about the people who think its wrong to report benefit fraud. Stealing is never acceptable, just because this women has kids does not make it ok. She should have thought about her children when she decided to steal money. How people who commit benefit fraud sleep at night I'll never know.

stsarina

WeeBabyDoll wrote: »

I am genuinly shocked....I would NEVER dream of reporting anyone. IOkay so what they are doing is morally wrong...but try talking to them about it first before you go and possibly destroy a family.Those poor kids, they will miss their mum when she is in prison. If she doesnt go to prison then those poor kids are going to have nothing anyway - because she will be paying a HUGE fine.

Then perhaps Mummy should have thought of that before deliberately setting out to defraud the taxpayer.

I too would do anything for my daughter, including working any and all hours necessary to set the best example for her and provide for her. What good would I be doing her by teaching her that all she has to do to get what she wants is lie and cheat?

OP, I would not hesitate to report them. If she is not fraudulently claiming then no harm will be done.

claretmatt

pimento wrote: »

The amount frauded by people falsely claiming benefits is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount lost to tax avoidance schemes by companies and the super rich.

Tax avoidance = legal

Benefit Fraud = Illegal

qetu1357

WeeBabyDoll wrote: »

I am genuinly shocked....I would NEVER dream of reporting anyone. IOkay so what they are doing is morally wrong...but try talking to them about it first before you go and possibly destroy a family.Those poor kids, they will miss their mum when she is in prison. If she doesnt go to prison then those poor kids are going to have nothing anyway - because she will be paying a HUGE fine.

I don't believe that she would either get a huge fine or a prison sentence (if charged and if found guilty of course).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1363162/Benefit-cheat-UK-How-just-day-court-saw-staggering-23-cases-welfare-fraud.html

jennyjelly

WeeBabyDoll wrote: »

I am genuinly shocked....I would NEVER dream of reporting anyone. IOkay so what they are doing is morally wrong...but try talking to them about it first before you go and possibly destroy a family.Those poor kids, they will miss their mum when she is in prison. If she doesnt go to prison then those poor kids are going to have nothing anyway - because she will be paying a HUGE fine.

Actually you and I will be paying it when it's deducted from her benefit at £5 a week. Some punishment.

Eastie77

Some of the people on MSE really need to get their heads OUT of the Daily Mail and into the real world. I completely agree with Pimento who posted earlier - the amount stolen from the government by people committing benefit fraud is a drop in the ocean compared to the amounts stolen by billionaires who refuse to pay income in the UK and exploit financial loopholes by declaring their incomes abroad.

As mentioned previously, I've never claimed benefits and have paid tax and NI contributions since the age of 16. However I can only imagine what it might be like to be a single mother struggling to get by on benefits whilst in a relationship with someone who may be earning 'lots' of money but with whom you may are in a precarious relationship. Perhaps the OP should reflect on that before running to denounce the woman she is complaining about.

I've read comments in this thread from people who have stated that they wouldn't hesitate to report anyone committing benefit fraud and it makes me think: why don't you spend your time protesting against and chasing down the seriously rich members of our society who refuse to pay income tax? Some posters have railed against the fact that we the taxpayers are all paying for these benefit fraudsters. Please take a moment to think about this seriously. The average person committing benefit fraud maybe benefits from a couple of hundred pounds a month they are not entitled to. Yes, it all adds up but compare this to someone like the owner of Topshop who benefits from MILLIONS of pounds a year in tax free income.

What about our taxes that go towards financing the upkeep of the the Royal Family, despite the fact that the Queen is one of the richest women in the world? How many of you have an invite to her grandson's wedding next month? Well you should have because guess what - your taxes are paying for it. Never mind, it makes far more sense to direct your ire towards a benefit claimant who is trying to squeeze the government dry by claiming, ooh, an extra £25 a week.

The witch hunt this government has instigated against the poor with this nonsensical campaign against benefit fraud is a disgrace. The fact that so many people have been sucked into this witch hunt is an ever bigger disgrace. Whatever happened to compassion and understanding?

The analogy between a burglar and someone claiming benefits they are not entitled to is ridiculous. A burglar breaks into your property. People claiming benefits illegally are not really harming you personally. You might think that they are but the bulk of the taxes you are paying goes towards funding illegal wars abroad and various other things no-one in this country supports. Believe me, a single parent claiming an extra few quid a month is the least of your worries . Seriously. some of you need to get a grip!

broxiebear1

burtons wrote: »

It does affect me as we had a letter saying our rent is going up by £4, now i will be worse off as my wages haven't gone up. She was at the school friday say that she is going to have her hair cut and it's going to cost £80.

i think if you were well off had no money worries you wouldnt have asked the question .

shaun_from_Africa

pimento wrote: »

No, I wouldn't report anyone for benefit fraud. The amount frauded by people falsely claiming benefits is a drop in the ocean compared to the amount lost to tax avoidance schemes by companies and the super rich.

There is one big difference though, which has already been mentioned by claretmatt.


Tax avoidance is legal whereas benefit fraud is illegal.

I pay as little tax as possible in the UK (as would most people given the chance), but every method that I use to avoid paying tax is 100% legit.
If the government doesn't like tax avoidance or think that it is costing the country too much money then all they have to do is change the rules.

Originally posted by Eastie77.
amounts stolen by billionaires who refuse to pay income in the UK and exploit financial loopholes by declaring their incomes abroad

If it is a legitimate financial loophole then it isn't stealing by the people concerned.
If you could legally avoid paying income tax, fuel duty etc, do you honestly expect anyone to believe that you would feel honour bound to pay even though you could avoid doing so?

RockGypsy

pinkshoes wrote: »

I knew of someone else doing this, which was indeed reported by several people (including me).

What happened?

Well, they sent her a letter saying they were coming to visit, so on said day, they put all her boyfriend's stuff in the car so it wasn't in the house, and she told them she lived on her own and had no job.

That was it. No evidence of man in house, so no action to be taken.

Why they gave her advance warning of their visit infuriates me! I mean, seriously, what is the point?!?!

(I'd still report her if she did it again though...)

What would they class as mans stuff anyway,just a question.She could always have said it was hers.I wear mens boxers sometimes as sleep shorts,have razors for legs,etc etc.Bit off the subject but how would theyprove it was a mans stuff:think: