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What would you do?

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Comments

  • iluvmarmite
    iluvmarmite Posts: 589 Forumite
    edited 25 March 2012 at 7:52AM

  • Next Year Real Time Infomation (RTI) begins in the move towards universal credit. HMRC will be told on a weekly/monthly basis as soon as anyone is paid and the system is the same so unless he is lying about his address they will be caught. It would be better if she came clean but you have tried. I think personally I'd be tempted to shop her, but that's up to you? Greedy gits! Basically it will be like a £24000 per year wage for her plus whatever he is earning?? Think about that? Is it need or greed? If they can't manage on his income alone can't she find part time work?
  • Orville
    Orville Posts: 1,906 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker PPI Party Pooper
    She has changed her name on the marriage certificate, but not told anyone else, not even her GP so no one knows.

    The flat they rent is in her Husbands name only, he pays the rent so there is no HB or council tax benefit so at least she wont be in trouble with the council.

    She gets £155 pw child tax credit, £31 a fortnight income support and then child benefit, it should be more income support but she has missed several lone parent interviews so they sanctioned her money, she has a 8 month old baby so couldnt go back to work anyway.

    Yep Orville I will keep my nose out, I was just seeking advice on the matter as I know sooner or later the poop will hit the fan and I thought it would be better sooner rather than later.


    You can only advise these people. If you grassed on her it would be something you would regret for the rest of your life. As has been said just give her friendly advice while at the same time letting her know you disapprove. That way when the Sh*t does hit the fan you can look at as if to say i told you so.
  • She has changed her name on the marriage certificate, but not told anyone else, not even her GP so no one knows.

    The flat they rent is in her Husbands name only, he pays the rent so there is no HB or council tax benefit so at least she wont be in trouble with the council.

    She gets £155 pw child tax credit, £31 a fortnight income support and then child benefit, it should be more income support but she has missed several lone parent interviews so they sanctioned her money, she has a 8 month old baby so couldnt go back to work anyway.

    Yep Orville I will keep my nose out, I was just seeking advice on the matter as I know sooner or later the poop will hit the fan and I thought it would be better sooner rather than later.

    To qualify for those benefits she will have signed, several times, that the information she is providing is true and correct - it WILL come back to bite her on the backside.

    Why can't she go to work? Having a baby doesn't make it impossible ... I always find it odd when people say that:o
  • Orville
    Orville Posts: 1,906 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker PPI Party Pooper
    Why can't she go to work? Having a baby doesn't make it impossible ... I always find it odd when people say that:o


    Mee too seeing as i am a single parent, who works at our local supermarket and is just about to launch my own site. If the op is her "mum" i am sure she would help out.
  • anguk
    anguk Posts: 3,412 Forumite
    edited 22 March 2012 at 7:53PM
    She has changed her name on the marriage certificate, but not told anyone else, not even her GP so no one knows.

    The flat they rent is in her Husbands name only, he pays the rent so there is no HB or council tax benefit so at least she wont be in trouble with the council.

    She gets £155 pw child tax credit, £31 a fortnight income support and then child benefit, it should be more income support but she has missed several lone parent interviews so they sanctioned her money, she has a 8 month old baby so couldnt go back to work anyway.

    Yep Orville I will keep my nose out, I was just seeking advice on the matter as I know sooner or later the poop will hit the fan and I thought it would be better sooner rather than later.
    She is going to get caught.

    Benefit agencies check credit reference agencies now, they will query why her husbands name is linked to her address (and why he's paying the rent and council tax) when she's supposed to be a single parent on her own with the children. There was a thread on here just the other week about the DWP using credit reference agencies to check for links.

    I know they check because when we had our housing benefit review the housing officer queried who lived at our address because a check had shown that our son was linked to our house. He hasn't actually lived with us for 7 years but the BT bill is still in his name (we hadn't bothered to change it) so the link showed up in their checks. We had to give them his address (hundreds of miles away) and they checked to make sure he wasn't living here.

    When they check your niece's address they'll see all the links with her husband - bills, banks, credit cards, rent etc everything that's in his name. She really is on borrowed time and needs to inform them before they find out themselves.

    Edit: I've found the thread about DWP retrieving information from credit reference agencies:
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3844011
    Dum Spiro Spero
  • Orville wrote: »
    Mee too seeing as i am a single parent, who works at our local supermarket and is just about to launch my own site. If the op is her "mum" i am sure she would help out.

    I don't know about you, but I actually found it easier to work before they were at school :rotfl:Nurseries don't have terms so there isn't that 13-14 weeks of holiday to 'cover':eek: not to mention teacher training days. I know nurseries are expensive and not always an option but there are other ways. For instance I share childcare with my sister in law and also with other friends. We help each other out as we're all in the same boat - needing to earn and having kids. It's all do-able :)
  • Dunroamin
    Dunroamin Posts: 16,908 Forumite
    As you're the person who brought her up, you really need to take some responsibility for the way she's turned out - the fact that you are still encouraging her to lie rather underlines this, I'm afraid.

    Was she also claiming as a single parent when she was living with this man before? Does he know about this fraud and does he condone it?

    I'd encourage her to come clean completely and tell her that you'll report her if she doesn't, even if you actually can't bring yourself to do it.
  • iluvmarmite
    iluvmarmite Posts: 589 Forumite
    edited 25 March 2012 at 7:52AM

  • Yea I guess she could go back to work, she hasnt worked in around 5 years now so it would be difficult but Im sure she could find something, and she wouldnt have to worry about child care as I would have the kids and wouldnt want paying for it. It would be much better for her, she wouldnt have the worry of getting caught and it would get her out of the flat and make new friends.

    I guess she must have signed papers stating its true what she is telling them, but I think its just a case of waiting now to see what happens, and I agree it is very greedy and they get more money than us and my husband works full time.

    You sound like a good mum to me :)

    Time for some 'tough love' now methinks :o
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