Benefit Investigation

publicsectorworker

starrystarry wrote: »

It's like pulling teeth trying to get information out of you. If you want people to help you you'll need to be more forthcoming. You've been asked several times what the relationship between these people is but you never give a straight answer. You just keep telling us what the relationship isn't. The questions you're being asked here are nothing compared to the questions that your "friend" will face during the investigation. I hope your "friend" is a bit more forthcoming than you've been.

It was answered in no.24. already said don't want to say on here but they are not partners. apart from looking suspicious like some have said the fact is there is no benefit benefits in it. single person not in relatiionship may get looked into but they will find single in the end so wherever people are leading with that dont see it will end up there because theres nothing in it whatever else there may be.
one person thought they were helping another with bank acc. seems not.

ceecee1

But 'they' are leaving themselves open to a whole different investigation. It seems that the person claiming benefit has not given correct details throughout their claim, and not to do so is a criminal offence.

You say that they would be found to be single in the end and that may be the case but it is not your (or your friends) decision to make. It is for the DWP or LA to make that decision.

When making a claim a person is asked to make a full declaration as to their circumstances, including the details of whoever else lives in the property. If they have failed to disclose someone else living in the property then that is an offence. You may be correct in saying that they would be treated as single but that should have been investigated at the time of the claim.

To edit bank statements, to not declare someone else in the property may all be innocent but you are going the long way around to prove your friends innocence. If you have nothing to hide why are you trying so hard to hide it.

I dont understand why it is so hard to say what they are if they are not partners.... doesn't make sense mate and any investigator will dig until the truth is found

publicsectorworker

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

So do they jointly own the property? Or jointly rent? Or does she live rent free in her 'friends' property?

If I was dealing with a claimant and discovered an undeclared joint bank account with a person she shared the property with and when she provided evidence of the bank account she decided to black out loads of transactions that would certainly set a fair few alarm bells ringing.

no rent. no mortgage. claimant lives there on jsa unsubsidised. what alarm bells would ring other than the overpayment.

publicsectorworker

ceecee1 wrote: »

But 'they' are leaving themselves open to a whole different investigation. It seems that the person claiming benefit has not given correct investigation throughout their claim, and not to do so is a criminal offence.

You say that they would be found to be single in the end and that may be the case but it is not your (or your friends) decision to make. It is for the DWP or LA to make that decision.

When making a claim a person is asked to make a full declaration as to their circumstances, including the details of whoever else lives in the property. If they have failed to disclose someone else living in the property then that is an offence. You may be correct in saying that they would be treated as single but that should have been investigated at the time of the claim.

To edit bank statements, to not declare someone else in the property may all be innocent but you are going the long way around to prove your friends innocence. If you have nothing to hide why are you trying so hard to hide it.

I dont understand why it is so hard to say what they are if they are not partners.... doesn't make sense mate and any investigator will dig until the truth is found

its hard because its someone else so trying to find out for them and keep it general as possible on here but give enough information to see what could happen and when. i know it looks bad for them and thats why im on here trying to find out what might happen to them at least tell them what could come good bad or whatever.

ceecee1

But can't you see that you will not get anything like a correct answer if people do not know the full and correct details.

ceecee1

publicsectorworker wrote: »

no rent. no mortgage. claimant lives there on jsa unsubsidised. what alarm bells would ring other than the overpayment.

Alarm bells would ring as they could possibly be treated as living together with the other person in the property. To not have to pay rent for their share goes some way to suggest that the other person is supporting them and that they should not be entitled to any means tested benefits.

nannytone_2

so they dont claim housing or council tax benefit?

im not being nosy.. it is a becessary question.

if it is the person that your friend lives with and has a hoint bank account with, then things are REALLY serious.
living woth someone/oaying no rent/joint finances .....l

zagfles

ceecee1 wrote: »

Alarm bells would ring as they could possibly be treated as living together with the other person in the property. To not have to pay rent for their share goes some way to suggest that the other person is supporting them and that they should not be entitled to any means tested benefits.

Why would another person supporting them mean they're not entitled to any means tested benefits? Plenty of people claim income based JSA while living rent free at their parents' house, for instance.

zagfles

rogerblack wrote: »

If the claimant has actually had (say) 8000 average, and there is no question that this money is theirs, then the total overpayment for JSA alone will be around 2000 pounds.

If they are also claiming HB/LHA, there may be a separate overpayment for the same amount for that.

(8000-6000 allowance = 2000. 2000/250 (income assumed from capital) = 8 * 52*5.

Would they account for the fact that the claimant's capital would have been lower had they been claiming correctly, when working out the overpayment?

nannytone_2

zagfles wrote: »

Why would another person supporting them mean they're not entitled to any means tested benefits? Plenty of people claim income based JSA while living rent free at their parents' house, for instance.

amd of the OP stated that the friend was living with a parent/sibling and that they had a joint account and were supporting them, then no one would comment.
the fact that the OP chppses to say 'they are single but live with someone else' even after they have been asked numerous times, yould indicate that this person isnt living with a family member