benefit fraud?

Errata

Presumably the men who move back in with the mothers of their children aren't suffering from any kind of mental health problem and are capable of going into their local DWP office, explaining the situation and ensuring the mother's benefits amounts are as they should be. Isn't ensuring finances are in order part of looking after the children when the mother is incapable of doing what she should?

OldMotherTucker

marybelle01 wrote: »

Your situation isn't comparable at all. You had bad PND with the youngest being under a year old. The OP has really bad PND which she didn't have 18 months ago when she already had her two children. One assumes your OH did help and support you - she has hardly ever seen hers and has said he does very little. You were receiving maintenance - she doesn't seem to be receiving anything. And as you said, you OH wasn't saving his money to buy himself a house, etc.

Nobody here has said that ones OH couldn't move back to help out in such circumstances, and it's easy to get why someone might forget to tell the benefits office. But forgetting to get maintenenance? Subsidising his living expenses so that he can buy a house? And getting little or no help at all? That is what is incredible.

Its easy to forget huh? Main source of income - what keeps us alive paying for food and fuel and people can just 'forget' the responsibility they have to inform the authorities about such a huge change in circumstances.
That just proves the attitude of people in this country. Stop making excuses for those who want it all ways.

shedboy94

OldMotherTucker wrote: »

Its easy to forget huh? Main source of income - what keeps us alive paying for food and fuel and people can just 'forget' the responsibility they have to inform the authorities about such a huge change in circumstances.
That just proves the attitude of people in this country. Stop making excuses for those who want it all ways.

Totally agree.......when it comes to reporting a change that would result in MORE money, they can't get on the phone quick enough, however when it would be a change that would reduce their payments there is always an excuse........"I forgot"..or "it wasn't a priority"......or "I didn't know I had to"

marybelle01

OldMotherTucker wrote: »

Its easy to forget huh? Main source of income - what keeps us alive paying for food and fuel and people can just 'forget' the responsibility they have to inform the authorities about such a huge change in circumstances.
That just proves the attitude of people in this country. Stop making excuses for those who want it all ways.

I am not making excuses. I am saying that there are circumstances in which forgetting to do something, even something important, can be understood. Not excused. Understood. If you have never had such a life shattering experience, then lucky you. You forget, you get pulled over it, and you tell the truth and take the consequence. Not everybody in the world is as perfect and healthy as you are. No, I don't really believe the OP for a second. Her story is too incredible and inconsistent. But that doesn't mean that everybody claiming benefits is a rampant liar or a fraudster, and it doesn't mean that they can't make mistakes or get things wrong. Jeez, the DWP is more understanding than you...

OldMotherTucker

marybelle01 wrote: »

I am not making excuses. I am saying that there are circumstances in which forgetting to do something, even something important, can be understood. Not excused. Understood. If you have never had such a life shattering experience, then lucky you. You forget, you get pulled over it, and you tell the truth and take the consequence. Not everybody in the world is as perfect and healthy as you are. No, I don't really believe the OP for a second. Her story is too incredible and inconsistent. But that doesn't mean that everybody claiming benefits is a rampant liar or a fraudster, and it doesn't mean that they can't make mistakes or get things wrong. Jeez, the DWP is more understanding than you...

Forgettful people shouldn't be bringing up children - its a minimum of 18 years commitment . . .

marleyboy

Errata wrote: »

Presumably the men who move back in with the mothers of their children aren't suffering from any kind of mental health problem and are capable of going into their local DWP office, explaining the situation and ensuring the mother's benefits amounts are as they should be. Isn't ensuring finances are in order part of looking after the children when the mother is incapable of doing what she should?

I imagine so yes, but it would depend on the circumstances. If the Woman suffers such a condition she is incapable of claiming benefits by herself for instance.

If she is capable of claiming a benefit, she should be as capable to declare a change in circumstances. Particularly if the claim is in her name. If it was in his name, the same would apply, but if he is not claiming a benefit, he would have no need to walk into a DWP office.

This has nothing to do with gender, it would be the same if the Woman moved back in with the Father of their children.

Pollycat

marleyboy wrote: »

I imagine so yes, but it would depend on the circumstances. If the Woman suffers such a condition she is incapable of claiming benefits by herself for instance.

If she is capable of claiming a benefit, she should be as capable to declare a change in circumstances. Particularly if the claim is in her name. If it was in his name, the same would apply, but if he is not claiming a benefit, he would have no need to walk into a DWP office.

This has nothing to do with gender, it would be the same if the Woman moved back in with the Father of their children.

I understoof Errata's post to mean that even if the woman was incapable of advising DWP of a change in her circumstances (e.g. that her ex partner was moving back in with her as she was suffering from some illness that made her unable to contact DWP herself), that her ex partner should inform DWP of a change in circumstances.

She may have been capable of initiating a claim for benefits but further down the line, her health may mean that she's not capable of advising DWP of a change in circumstances that may or may not affect the benefits she's claiming.

Either way, DWP should have been informed.
If DWP then said that they were unable to act as the person in receipt of benefits had to contact them direct, at least the 'couple' could say they had tried to sort things out.

bestpud

MrsE wrote: »

And people here suggesting she gets her "story" straight are assisting her benefit fraud.

I often wonder if people use this board as practice IUC tbh!

We certainly manage to point out the holes in the stories!

marybelle01 - the OP has apparently had a relationship with another guy since they separated so I don't think she is as bed ridden and incapable as her posts suggest tbh!

marleyboy

Pollycat wrote: »

I understoof Errata's post to mean that even if the woman was incapable of advising DWP of a change in her circumstances (e.g. that her ex partner was moving back in with her as she was suffering from some illness that made her unable to contact DWP herself), that her ex partner should inform DWP of a change in circumstances.

She may have been capable of initiating a claim for benefits but further down the line, her health may mean that she's not capable of advising DWP of a change in circumstances that may or may not affect the benefits she's claiming.

Either way, DWP should have been informed.
If DWP then said that they were unable to act as the person in receipt of benefits had to contact them direct, at least the 'couple' could say they had tried to sort things out.

Be that she is perfectly capable of discussing it on the forum, there is a fair chance she was capable of discussing it with the DWP.

I really don't think the investigators are likely to buy that story. Can you imagine the backlog of claimants under investigation, all of a sudden claiming to have come down with this infectious bout of amnesia? I guess its worth a try, but I wont hold my breath that they will buy it.

mazza111

In all fairness to Shelldean. She was suffering from PND any sort of MH issue can cause memory problems, I've been there. I won't go into it with the OP as it's been pointed out, there are a lot of holes in the story.

Shelldean's x was paying the maintenance for the kids and a bit extra, he wasn't freeloading to the same extent as the OP who was just paying for Sky and whatever, to the grand total of £130/month, allowing him to save 470ish. OK it shouldn't have been done but I feel OMT has been a bit unfair with the comment she made on the too many kids and unable to look after them. PND could strike at any time after childbirth. The other OMT comment was that forgetful people shouldn't bring up children? What should they do when they get PND? Hand all the kids over to an orphanage or try to continue to look after them the best they can.


I do not condone the OPs actions in any way, shape or form. But comments like that against people who may suffer from MH problems really aren't helpful in the slightest. I don't condone any benefit fraud, but really, unless you've suffered from these conditions you probably don't know what's involved.

Agree totally that the men who've moved back in for the sake of the kids should be notifying the dwp themselves if the mother is unable to do it.

And btw shelldean. I only called the OP a numpty because she was getting nothing from her x (if we're to take her story as gospel which we know it isn't) and he was working fulltime, she was the one committing the fraud and he was the one reaping all the benefits.