Is this illegal?

andygb

Someone we know has altered their medical certificate, in order to give themselves a nice holiday. Both my wife and I are pretty shocked by the brazen attitude of the person (does not seem worried about telling people.
I am pretty sure that it is illegal - a form of benefit fraud, but what do thers think?
The reason I have put it in this section, is because the person is a relation, and they see it as a form of "money saving":(

sassyblue

I must be naive, how do you alter a medical certificate to get a holiday?

Their insurance would be invalid for a start anyway.

BitterAndTwisted

I don't understand. Is this person claiming benefits rather than being in work?

amyloofoo

andygb wrote: »

Someone we know has altered their medical certificate, in order to give themselves a nice holiday. Both my wife and I are pretty shocked by the brazen attitude of the person (does not seem worried about telling people.
I am pretty sure that it is illegal - a form of benefit fraud, but what do thers think?
The reason I have put it in this section, is because the person is a relation, and they see it as a form of "money saving":(

I presume this is for the purposes of claiming SSP / JSA / ESA? If so then yes, it is a crime and they will be in SERIOUS trouble if they are caught (which is very likely as GPs have to keep records of 'fit notes' they have authorised).

Pollycat

I'm another one who doesn't understand.

OP, can you please explain a bit more about what this relative has done with this medical certificate and how that alteration has resulted in he/she/them having a nice holiday.

What benefits is this person claiming?

BitterAndTwisted

In order to claim certain benefits, like JSA, one needs to be available for work and actively looking for it. Being signed-off as sick might mean that they would not qualify for the duration and might have to apply for SSP or similar.

I'd leave this idiot to stew in their own juice if their actions don't have a direct affect on you. Stand well-away for when the ordure hits the air-conditioning.

FatVonD

I think by 'holiday' the OP means 'break from work'.

It is of course illegal, they will either be claiming benefits (SSP) or employer sick pay under false pretences, it's also immoral but I doubt they care! I think they're more likely to be rumbled in the first instance than the second unless they are always off sick and their employer decides to investigate though, thinking about it, the employer will most likely try to claim back the SSP element so they could very well be rumbled in that instance too.

Here's hoping

zzzLazyDaisy

If they are in work and have changed the date on their fit note to get extra time off work, they are also putting their job at risk as this would be seen by most employers as gross misconduct and a sackable offence.

Abbafan1972

Relative or not, I wouldn't hesitate in reporting them and hope they get what's coming to them!

sassyblue

zzzLazyDaisy wrote: »

If they are in work and have changed the date on their fit note to get extra time off work, they are also putting their job at risk as this would be seen by most employers as gross misconduct and a sackable offence.

If that's what they've done....

why do they see it as 'money saving' OP? they'd be on sick pay, it's better off going to work and earn full wages than sick pay.

Also the sick notes l see (an employer) have the amount of days written in they should stay off work, so have they been signed off for 7 days but put a 1 in front to make 17 days? If so l hope the employer realises as that's an odd number of days to have off, it's usually 7 or 14 l see. :cool:

I hope they're not telling lots of people, someone might ring their employer anonymously, it's a sackable offence surely.

andygb

Just to make it clear, they are working (not at the moment though - covered by the certificate), and yes, they apparently put a "1" in front of the other number.
I thought about the dates aspect, but don't know, as it is years since I last filled in a medical certificate.