Accused of Fraud.

AnxiousMum

tartane wrote: »

I would agree, but his doesn't. It isn't an artic, just a an ordinary 4 wheel box lorry. Besides which, given the choice of sleeping in the cab or a shower and a comfortable bed, there is no argument.

Yes he gets night out money which he saves on, which he gives to my daughter for his keep.

And your daughter was on benefits right? So did she declare this income, whether it would be disregarded or not, to the various benefits agencies? Is there an agreement of child support in place that is kept to?

dmg24

tartane wrote: »

Yes on IS well was until 7 weeks ago.
No, she didn't declare it, she accepted it as extra cost for food, heat, light and water + what was left she spent on their son.
Yes a private agreement between them both - he pays her £100pw for his son. That started in April 2010 when maintenance did not affect her IS. Before then he kept most of the money in a bank account in his name as she would have lost most of it under the old rules. When the rules changed he gave her the lump sum as payment of arrears and it didn't affect her benefits (she cleared that with the DWP at the time).Yes when he comes down south he hands her the money always has. Now he will have to pay it through the bank.

Had it been a commercial agreement, she should have declared it.

AnxiousMum

tartane wrote: »

Yes on IS well was until 7 weeks ago.
No, she didn't declare it, she accepted it as extra cost for food, heat, light and water + what was left she spent on their son.
Yes a private agreement between them both - he pays her £100pw for his son. That started in April 2010 when maintenance did not affect her IS. Before then he kept most of the money in a bank account in his name as she would have lost most of it under the old rules. When the rules changed he gave her the lump sum as payment of arrears and it didn't affect her benefits (she cleared that with the DWP at the time).Yes when he comes down south he hands her the money always has. Now he will have to pay it through the bank.

So, basically, by your account above, they worked the system and defrauded it to their benefit, and now she's been caught. Fair enough! I don't see what your concern is to be honest.

Are they prosecuting for fraud? Or do they not know that she was receiving £100 per week (whether paid dodgily or not) while on benefits? She may just find that they are looking for repayments big time!

TVA

Firstly if she stops the overnighters she can claim the benefits moving forwards so she needs to decide which is worth more - the benefits or the money he gives. She can then get a new claim in - just make sure she does stop them or she could be in a far worse mess.

Secondly she can also appeal the decision - she needs to prove that she pays all the bills on her place, him on his, that he has a new partner, that he only ever sleeps in another room etc. They should also take into account things like who does the housework etc. If she can demonstrate that she dates - that she attends family functions alone etc this will all help. Hard to know which way the decision will go on ittbh. You can be official single and live under the same roof if you can demonstrate that you live independant lives. The difficulty here is that while he is visiting presumably she does cook / clean for him.

WPN

Worried+Angry wrote: »

I am wondering if anyone can give me any advice. A few months ago I recieved a letter saying I was suspected of benefit fraud and asked to attend an interview. I attended the interview and was told that they believed my childrens' father was living with me. He doesn't but he spends a lot of time at my house seeing his children. I can see why they might have thought he lived here as for the past year since he has been driving he comes over quite a bit so his car would be seen at my house. We were both interviewed and explained this.

That was at the beginning of the year and I hadnt heard anyhting until this morning when I recieved a letter saying my housing and council tax benefit had been stopped from 2006 as my partner had been living with me. I am very angry as my rent is due next week (they know this) and I have no way of coming up with this money. The kids' dad works but he has his own bills to pay.

It would be a great help if someone could give me any advice. It feels as if I am being persecuted for being a good parent and letting my children see their dad as much as possible.

Someone probably reported you to benefit fraud hotline.

Does he ever stay the night?
How long does he spent per an average week (in hours) at your home?

G51shopaholic

Typical curtain twitchers at work here.
Why should the lady not have her sons dad stay over?

If he has his own place, pays his own rent and utility bills and council tax for another address then they are NOT a couple.

I would appeal - I always thought that child support wasn't to be declared but I guess the CSA would argue with that.

She should pitch a tent in her front garden for him to sleep in when he comes to visit his child, this would keep the curtain twitchers happy!

AnxiousMum

G51shopaholic wrote: »

Typical curtain twitchers at work here.
Why should the lady not have her sons dad stay over?

If he has his own place, pays his own rent and utility bills and council tax for another address then they are NOT a couple.

I would appeal - I always thought that child support wasn't to be declared but I guess the CSA would argue with that.

She should pitch a tent in her front garden for him to sleep in when he comes to visit his child, this would keep the curtain twitchers happy!

At the time, child support was regarded in the calculation of means tested benefits, and the claimant/pwc got to keep £20 per week of the child support. They avoided that, intentionally, by not going through CSA, by not declaring payments to DWP etc. I'm surprised that benefits agencies actually said that the lump sum payment of child support was fine, once this was no longer the case, many pwc's are being gone after for repayment of unreported child support during that time period. It is no longer considered for means tested benefits.

However, she also had income in the form of B&B payments from her ex, which she also never declared - see a pattern? Wonder if his girlfriend upnorth is doing the same thing.....

sunnyone

tartane wrote: »

It doesn't really matter what you call it. He was given money to cover a night away from home by his boss. He gave it to his ex instead of staying in a B&B. It was better in her hands than in a landlady's plus he got to see his son more.
If you can't see how simple it is then OK. To say they live together is a joke. That relationship finished two years ago when he moved away with his current girlfriend that he was seeing whilst with my daughter. For goodness sake he has another child with this girl who he lives with 200 + miles away.

The joke really is that he is accepted by the DWP as being a part time father to both of them and lives with both of them as in a relationship. Talk about having a girl in every port and living as husband and wife to both of them! Legalised bigamy if only he was married to both.

yeah, I really believe that his girlfriend is ok with him sleeping in his ex's house twice a week shile shes 200 miles away, women dont work that way.

It even more unbelievable because she knows hes a cheat as he cheated on your daughter with her.

sunnyone

tartane wrote: »

Sounds like you have been there too!

Incidentally, his current partner is friendly with my daughter, they were best friends at school and she knows that my daughter would never act like that. His current partner thinks that the whole thing is funny because she knows what has happened.

The newbie has just gone andy so we can all post what we can see, same old same old and you are such a bad troll you cant even hide your style or rubbish content that you post.

Is this daughter Paula that posted your suicide or another fake one?

TVA

I'm sure the son does like his dad staying but he also like his mum to have money. You've already said he is gone at 5.30AM so surely dad can still visit but leave once he goes to bed and the son isn't losing any time with his dad. Yes its not ideal but if it keeps her afloat financially then she should do it. Thats why I suggested it.

Most kids with seperated parents don't get them sleeping in the same house - in fact it may even confuse him that they do in years to come and give him false hope of a reconciliation. I'm not judging when I say that just pointing out that he isn't going to suffer as a result and mum will have money coming in!