Would you report someone you knew for benefit fraud?

Pollycat

Eastie77 wrote: »

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.

I don't read the Daily Mail.
I personally can't do anything about billionaires who exploit financial loopholes.
I CAN however, attempt to stop someone claiming benefits that they are not entitled to by reporting them.

As mentioned previously, I've never claimed benefits and have paid tax and NI contributions since the age of 16.
I've never claimed benefits either and paid tax & NI for 33 years.

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.
If this relationship is 'precarious', she shouldn't have moved this bloke in then.

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?
If I thought it would make a difference, I would.

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.
I have taken (more than) a moment to think about this seriously.
They key words are 'not entitled to'.
The amount claimed is irrelevant, if you're not entitled to it, you shouldn't be claiming it.

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.
Again, we can do nothing about that. It's up to the Govt to change tax laws.
I would welcome this.

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.
This is something else that we can do nothing about.

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.
Now, we CAN do something about this.

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?
My compassion & understanding goes out of the window when I read about families who don't work, have never worked and have no intention of ever working but - on benefits - have a far better lifestyle than, say, my elderly parents who worked hard, saved a little and now are in warden-controlled council housing and because of their life-long frugality have to pay full rent and council tax.

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.
Yes they are. They are taking money out of the system which could be used in other ways.

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.
I'd prefer this country not to be involved in the wars you mention.
I don't dispute the amount that they are costing this country.
However, the key question here is not whether we should stop funding the Royal Family, whether we really should be in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya or even if tax laws should be changed.
It's whether someone should be reported for claiming more money from the state than they are entitled to.
For me (and obviously lots of other members who've replied to this thread) the answer to THAT question is a big fat 'YES'.

Seriously. some of you need to get a grip!

I don't need a grip.

Why do some people always say 'get a grip' just because other people disagree with their viewpoint?

Graham29

Eastie77 wrote: »

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!

Is this poster for real?!! At the end of the day it really doesn't matter what you, me or Bob down the road thinks. Benefit fraud is a crime - end of story! What other crimes do you agree with? Somebody robbing your house if they are a bit hard up?

And what is it with the "Dail Mail Readers?" I've never once bought the paper (I don'y read newspapers) yet I still think stealing is wrong.

Oopsadaisy

Wow...talk about a wide spectrum of opinion!!!

Love it!!!

pimento

eastie77 wrote: »

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 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!

In a nutshell.

Pollycat

pimento wrote: »

In a nutshell.

In your opinion.

liney

Eastie77 wrote: »

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.


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.

Firstly you are on MSE, a site which supports using loopholes to avoid charges, and obtain freebies. It does not condone benefit fraud or see at as 'free money', but encourages people to claim what they are entitled to. Understandably in accordance with the the ethos of the site, most users have no issue with legally avoiding tax but take issue with theift.

Secondly, if the burglar is scaling your drain pipe, not mine it's not really effecting me, so shall I not bother to report it? It might be illegal, but Top Shop 'steal' more then him in tax avoidance so I think they should let him carry on his merry way :T

Pollycat

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.

So, OP, have you reported her or are you going to report her?

I personally (and other posters have said similar) think you're a bit too hung up on what she is getting and what she is spending money on.

If she is NOT ENTITLED to the benefits she is currently getting because her situation has changed, she is a benefit fraud.

Extract from the DWP website:

Benefit theft includes deliberately not telling us:

• you are now living with a partner
• about any savings or not telling us the right amount
• children have left home
• you have started work, or about any earnings
• you have inherited money
• you are going abroad, living abroad, or have changed address.

There are no exceptions. People who knowingly withhold information or deliberately fail to report a change in their circumstances are benefit thieves. It is not ‘playing the game' – it is breaking the law!

To me, that's pretty clear cut.

Ignore all those bleeding hearts who are bleating on about compassion & understanding and how much money the Govt is wasting in other areas.
We CAN do something about this.

Maybe if more people reported benefit frauds, it would make people think twice before doing it.
If you're a decent, honest person you wouldn't commit benefit fraud.

xangeleyes

liney wrote: »

Firstly you are on MSE, a site which supports using loopholes to avoid charges, and obtain freebies. It does not condone benefit fraud or see at as 'free money', but encourages people to claim what they are entitled to. Understandably in accordance with the the ethos of the site, most users have no issue with legally avoiding tax but take issue with theift.

Secondly, if the burglar is scaling your drain pipe, not mine it's not really effecting me, so shall I not bother to report it? It might be illegal, but Top Shop 'steal' more then him in tax avoidance so I think they should let him carry on his merry way :T

Well said Love the bit about what MSE is originally here for To help us with loopholes and money saving.

Benefit fraud is illegal!
What ever happened to 'taking baby steps'? Perhaps start off with the 'Small' things like benefit fraud, free up enough money to fund our lovely NHS nurses.

biscit

Pollycat wrote: »

I don't need a grip.

Why do some people always say 'get a grip' just because other people disagree with their viewpoint?

Well... sometimes it's because people disagree in an over emotive way and use lots of hyperbole and aggressive language.

Whatever your take on a situation, it's always better to express yourself as a mature and intelligent adult, using calm tones. You don't need to get excited to express disapproval.

SandC

I wouldn't report her but it does drive me a bit mad. It goes on all over the place. But I kinda think it's not affecting me personally so why bother? I know, I know....

I've never claimed a penny in benefits and I don't get tax credits or anything either - no children.

Thing is, I would feel a bit of a hypocrite because if I have someone doing work on my house I will ask them if there's part or all of it I can pay in cash and not have to pay the VAT. I've only actually managed to save a bit of money once by asking that as it's not the done thing these days - more agro than it's worth apparently. But still, if I'm prepared to save a bit of VAT that way it's the same thing I guess. Likewise in actual fact hand on heart if I knew someone wasn't working right now but would come and do my decorating so summat I would be happy to just pay up and not expect them to declare it.

Aren't there others who hand on heart would do this? Or is this just a mate doing a favour for a few quid?