Benefit Fraud help!

MissyMadness

Okay so here goes

I had an interview under caution today regarding fraud my ex partner moved out in oct 2011 i was still getting bills and thing in her name, we were still close it would seem that they believe she was still living there, the evidence is damning to say the least we are still close and we have been away together on holidays and she did buy me Christmas gifts (my daughter too) the house 'we' shared starting showing signs of damp which affected my health as i am asthmatic in January this year my ex's mother bought a house to renovate and offered it to myself as we were still quite close.We have started to make a go of things again and she spends all her time with me my question is to avoid this happening again if i declare her living here will the housing benefit people see that as an admission of guilt? she was not living with me from oct 2011 and is currently still not, evidence they have is suggestive though as we do still spend almost every day with one another!:( and from what was said in interview neighbors landlady of old house seen her car there everyday i really am scared of going to jail or something like that especially for something despite evidence i know is not true

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Tell the truth and if your partner has now moved in declare that as well otherwise you really are now committing fraud if you are still in receipt of benefits.

MissyMadness

i Was and still am telling the truth we talked about it and i never want this to happen again so i asked her to move back in with me she is here all the time almost anyways i just did not want it to be seen as a panicked admission of guilt if she did move in with me if that makes sense?

Housing_Benefit_Officer

MissyMadness wrote: »

i Was and still am telling the truth we talked about it and i never want this to happen again so i asked her to move back in with me she is here all the time almost anyways i just did not want it to be seen as a panicked admission of guilt if she did move in with me if that makes sense?

But she is now living with you so you have to notify them of that change in circumstances because you are now committing fraud if you are still in receipt of benefits and fail to declare a change in household or financial circumstances.

The bad news for you is following new guidance from the Director of Public Prosecutions you could now be jailed for up to 10 years - your partner is now living with you so your financial and household circumstances have changed. From the date that change occurred and you failure to declare that change means you are committing benefit fraud if you are still claiming Housing Benefit, Council Tax discounts and support or any social security benefits.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24104743

MissyMadness

she is not living me with me right now but due to the fact she is with me a lot i think it would be a good idea to add her to the household what i am asking is simply this if i do change circumstances ask her to move in and declare it will that be added to the evidence against me and give the DWP further cause to possibly prosecute

Caz3121

Where was your 'ex' living from Oct 2011, does she have a rental agreement, what is her driving licence and car insurance address (she may find her car insurance is void if she has given false information) where is she on the electoral role?
There are many cases where people pretend to be living apart to maximise their benefits. Your problem will be if she was not registered anywhere else.

nannytone_2

'if ypu ask her to move in with you .....'
you have already said that she is with you almost all the time. she ALREADY lives with you!

MissyMadness

Agreed thats why i think it is going to be in the best interests to declare her living with me she goes home to her mothers most nights washing cooking there pays rent too, thats where she was at her moms all her drivers license and things were at my house for a couple of months then got switched there,she spends pretty much the day with me though i know i am in trouble with the evidence saying what it does and no matter how my i can honestly say i am not guilty i know that you guys have pretty already made up your mind i am, all i wanted was advice on the outcome of declaring her living with me now on the case brought against me and if it would effect it
The interview today was suspended until he can determine proof she was living at her mothers i just want to know how the fraud squad is going to see her moving in with me now what bearing will it have for me i realize i am probably in the deepest kind of trouble already

nannytone_2

they wouldnt have called you in for an IUC unless they think they have enough evidence to prove their claim.

regardless of the outcome of that interview, you need to be honest about your living arrangements as they are now

MissyMadness

Thank you.
i know the evidence against me, it is pretty stacked up through my own fault of not tying up loose ends and making sure she took all bills with her we were trying mending the relationship so we did still see a lot of one another it's only been in the past couple of weeks she started spending the most time with me though, i just feel so lost

nannytone_2

there is no point dwelling on it.
it is what is is. if the evidence they have is 'damning' and you have nothing tocontradict what they are claimig then you have nothing to lose anyway.