Credits on utility bills.

FBaby

millie.molly.mandy wrote: »

But I was lucky enough to win something, and I intend to make the most of it.

Yes, making the most of it would be to support yourself proudly rather than relying on benefits...

Would I do it? No I definitely wouldn't. I don't take benefits for granted. I used to be a single mum working full-time in a demanding job (and still am) paying a lot of taxes and struggling each month, never getting close to being able to save a penny, so I actually would feel shameful to claim benefits when I had been lucky enough to win money I didn't even earn myself. I guess we have different morals.

Good luck, but don't be surprised if you find yourself back here wondering what to do when you are being investigated for deprivation of capital.

princessdon

millie.molly.mandy wrote: »

I actually think that £6k is a lot of money to allow people on benefits to keep, most people these days are lucky to have any savings at all.
But I was lucky enough to win something, and I intend to make the most of it. As I have said I will get round it as my daughter has my initials, and her bank account is still in her maiden name, she is not on benefits so problem solved.
I find it amazing how people always condemn people trying to beat the system, yet nearly all would do it themselves without a second thought if they got the chance. :beer:

No I wouldn't not for the pennies you are talking about. You are making yourself commit a crime for pennies. You keep £6k so you only lose pennies on 2k and could legitimately spend that quickly anyway with a new TV sofa or something else the house needs.

I think few would make themselves a thief for this amount of money.

HappyMJ

millie.molly.mandy wrote: »

I actually think that £6k is a lot of money to allow people on benefits to keep, most people these days are lucky to have any savings at all.
But I was lucky enough to win something, and I intend to make the most of it. As I have said I will get round it as my daughter has my initials, and her bank account is still in her maiden name, she is not on benefits so problem solved.
I find it amazing how people always condemn people trying to beat the system, yet nearly all would do it themselves without a second thought if they got the chance. :beer:

Some households could easily turn over £6,000 a month and still be entitled to some benefits so it isn't a huge amount. Personally I don't think any amount of money should be exempted but the deemed weekly earnings of £1 per £250 should be much more realistic to avoid people sugggesting getting rid of in the first place.

millie.molly.mandy

princessdon wrote: »

No I wouldn't not for the pennies you are talking about. You are making yourself commit a crime for pennies. You keep £6k so you only lose pennies on 2k and could legitimately spend that quickly anyway with a new TV sofa or something else the house needs.

I think few would make themselves a thief for this amount of money.

Oh well, what people say and what people do is different. I didn't steal the money I won it fairly and honestly.
My intention is to let my daughter cash the cheque. She will put £2k in trust for my grandson and give me the rest back which I will then put in my bank. I will then top up my utility bills then keep the rest in a saving account.
I don't consider that I am being a thief as I am doing nothing at all that could be conceived as cheating. Surely putting money away for your grandchild's future is not a crime.
Don't try and make me out to be a villain, I worked for many years, and only circumstances have left me in this position, I don't enjoy claiming benefits, but as I have to I am not too proud to claim. There are many claiming who certainly shouldn't be. so please don't lecture me.
This is a one off situation, I asked for a simple answer with you gave me, my morals are intact, and and I can still hold my head high. It's not as though I am claiming for untold children still living in another country.

HappyMJ

millie.molly.mandy wrote: »

Oh well, what people say and what people do is different. I didn't steal the money I won it fairly and honestly.
My intention is to let my daughter cash the cheque. She will put £2k in trust for my grandson and give me the rest back which I will then put in my bank. I will then top up my utility bills then keep the rest in a saving account.
I don't consider that I am being a thief as I am doing nothing at all that could be conceived as cheating. Surely putting money away for your grandchild's future is not a crime.
Don't try and make me out to be a villain, I worked for many years, and only circumstances have left me in this position, I don't enjoy claiming benefits, but as I have to I am not too proud to claim. There are many claiming who certainly shouldn't be. so please don't lecture me.
This is a one off situation, I asked for a simple answer with you gave me, my morals are intact, and and I can still hold my head high. It's not as though I am claiming for untold children still living in another country.

Yes....but there is a correct way of doing things. You are more than welcome to put money away for your grandchild...in the form of regular monthly savings such as a friendly society account where you can save £25 a month for at least the next 10 years tax free. That's acceptable...getting rid of lump sums is not.

Just be careful...there was a case recently where the claimant won a big prize at a bingo club and someone else cashed the cheque the DWP found out eventually and demanded all the money back plus penalties.

millie.molly.mandy

HappyMJ wrote: »

Yes....but there is a correct way of doing things. You are more than welcome to put money away for your grandchild...in the form of regular monthly savings such as a friendly society account where you can save £25 a month for at least the next 10 years tax free. That's acceptable...getting rid of lump sums is not.

Just be careful...there was a case recently where the claimant won a big prize at a bingo club and someone else cashed the cheque the DWP found out eventually and demanded all the money back plus penalties.

I doubt that will happen to me, but thanks for the warning. Lets face it if I gave the lot to a charity I doubt the DWP would complain at that would they.

Mojisola

millie.molly.mandy wrote: »

I doubt that will happen to me, but thanks for the warning. Lets face it if I gave the lot to a charity I doubt the DWP would complain at that would they.

Yes because you would have deprived yourself of money and continued to claim benefits.

Mojisola

princessdon wrote: »

No I wouldn't not for the pennies you are talking about. You are making yourself commit a crime for pennies. You keep £6k so you only lose pennies on 2k and could legitimately spend that quickly anyway with a new TV sofa or something else the house needs.

I think few would make themselves a thief for this amount of money.

I can't understand why you don't follow princessdon's advice.

You could put the money into your account and tell the authorities about the £2k you have above the £6k that you are allowed. Your benefits would be marginally affected.

I'm sure - particularly as you have health problems - you have things you need to replace at home - a new mattress, replace worn carpets, a wheelchair, a bath lift, etc. You could spend some money on whatever would make your life easier and then go back onto your full benefits.

If you wanted to, you could use some of the money from your £6k to put into savings for your grandson.

You would then not have to worry about the DWP investigating you for fraud and you wouldn't be putting your daughter into the position of aiding and abetting a fraudulent act.

HappyMJ

millie.molly.mandy wrote: »

I doubt that will happen to me, but thanks for the warning. Lets face it if I gave the lot to a charity I doubt the DWP would complain at that would they.

Yes they would. You can be deemed to still have the money. Personally if you have any fairly urgent repairs to your house/car that need doing then I'd get them done keeping the invoices in case of any DWP investigation. I'd convert any monthly payments to annual payments such as monthly insurance on the car/house/contents. I'd pay 12 months tax on the car instead of 6. I'd pay the TV license in full. You can use the "it's saving money in the long term" as a reasonable reason....but that doesn't work as well with credit cards but you can pay them off quicker than just the minimum just not in full unless you always pay off in full as I do and you need to show a history of always paying off in full for that to be allowed.

princessdon

millie.molly.mandy wrote: »

Oh well, what people say and what people do is different. I didn't steal the money I won it fairly and honestly.
My intention is to let my daughter cash the cheque. She will put £2k in trust for my grandson and give me the rest back which I will then put in my bank. I will then top up my utility bills then keep the rest in a saving account.
I don't consider that I am being a thief as I am doing nothing at all that could be conceived as cheating. Surely putting money away for your grandchild's future is not a crime.
Don't try and make me out to be a villain, I worked for many years, and only circumstances have left me in this position, I don't enjoy claiming benefits, but as I have to I am not too proud to claim. There are many claiming who certainly shouldn't be. so please don't lecture me.
This is a one off situation, I asked for a simple answer with you gave me, my morals are intact, and and I can still hold my head high. It's not as though I am claiming for untold children still living in another country.

You are claiming benefits you know You are not entitled to, it's pennies £8 pw income, bearing in mind how easy it would be to legitimise this via reasonable spending why make yourself a benefit cheat/fraudster for this?