Housing benefit fraud

keithj1983

Hello, I'm looking for some help and advice. My mum is being investigated for housing benefit fraud. When she first applied for the housing benefit back in 2009 there were no issues. Later I sold a house that I owned and was left with 60k. I deposited the 60k into my mums bank account as I was going travelling the next day for a year. I asked my mum to invest 45k into an account that could not be touched for my future which she done. I also asked her to put the max into an ISA (I think about 7.5k went into the ISA and the other 7.5k is in my mums savings which I advised that she could use if she ever needed to for emergencies as she earns very little. She does have about 2k of her own savings. Problem we have now is my mum is being investigated and has been asked to attend an investigation meeting on thursday for failing to disclose her accounts. The council have told us they know about the the ISA and savings account, they nothing about the 45k that has been tied away. I want to be honest but im worried they will not believe its mine. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Im afraid I may lose my mums benefits for having over 16k in her name, but it is genuinely my money. I have a bank statement that shows the 60k coming into my account from the sale and then transferring it to my mum, I also have my passport with date stamps to back up my travels.
Thank you

somethingcorporate

I'm not sure why traveling means you couldn't leave it in your accounts - I am not sure this is a legitimate reason for transferring money to other people (although it may be, I am not an expert).

As it appears you've given the money to your mother and she hasn't declared it.

You just need to be honest and see what they decide - I think you'll struggle to convince anyone of your intentions though as the paper trail will not look any different between transferring the money to be looked after and just giving it away and this is where your mother may fall down.

good luck, I think you're going to need it.

StormyWeather_2

Go with your mum and take all the evidence with you regarding the house sale.

Though, I think with £7.5k from you plus £2k of her own in savings, this should have been declared as it's over £6000.

StormyWeather_2

somethingcorporate wrote: »

I'm not sure why traveling means you couldn't leave it in your accounts - I am not sure this is a legitimate reason for transferring money to other people (although it may be, I am not an expert).

As it appears you've given the money to your mother and she hasn't declared it.

You just need to be honest and see what they decide - I think you'll struggle to convince anyone of your intentions though as the paper trail will not look any different between transferring the money to be looked after and just giving it away and this is where your mother may fall down.

good luck, I think you're going to need it.

Presumably it was easier for mum to deal with the investments and ISAs from her own account rather than the OP's.

OP did you claim any benefits during your travels?

McKneff

I think you are going to need it too.


The point is, as soon as you put it into your mums account, the money actually belongs to her, it is in her name.


I cant see any reason why you couldn't have left it in accounts in your own name and as far as I know, to open ISA s etc you have to sign for them or did your mum do that too.


It is going to be hard work for you.... and your mum

keithj1983

Hi, thanks for the reply, in regards to travelling I was just concerned that I was travelling to very unfamillar countries and I was worried about having such a large amount of money in my account due to possible fraud. It took ages for the money to get to me from the sale of the house and it eventually came 1 day before I left which didnt give me time to make my own arrangements. Now its all in my mums name until I can unfix it (the large amount). I think honesty is the best policy but the council have said they only know about the 2 other accounts, ISA and Savings and they have confirmed its under 16k. So im sure they do not know about the larger amount, im just worried if I dont declare it now and they find out later it will make us look dishonest. I have a solicitor who has advised me not to disclose it. Im not sure this would be the right thing to do?

keithj1983

StormyWeather wrote: »

Go with your mum and take all the evidence with you regarding the house sale.

Though, I think with £7.5k from you plus £2k of her own in savings, this should have been declared as it's over £6000.

Hello, Ive managed to get the bank statements and proof of selling the house. I will definitely be going with her, she is in such a state and i feel responsible even though it was a genuine mistake, we just didnt think about the benefits at the time, I suppose naive.

keithj1983

StormyWeather wrote: »

Presumably it was easier for mum to deal with the investments and ISAs from her own account rather than the OP's.

OP did you claim any benefits during your travels?

Hi, the whole reason for transferring it was due to worry about travelling with such money and ease for my mum to invest the large amount for my future and then to hold a bit if I ever needed it in an emergency.

keithj1983

McKneff wrote: »

I think you are going to need it too.


The point is, as soon as you put it into your mums account, the money actually belongs to her, it is in her name.


I cant see any reason why you couldn't have left it in accounts in your own name and as far as I know, to open ISA s etc you have to sign for them or did your mum do that too.


It is going to be hard work for you.... and your mum

All of the accounts are in my mums name, I was just worried about having such money in my account while travelling, the money arrived in my account 1 day before I left so it gave me no time, on hindsight if i knew this would happen I would have done things differently. Its now whether they believe its mine or my mums. I mean I have statements and proof of sale, my mum works about 6hours a week, it should be obvious she would never have this amount of money.

StormyWeather_2

You'll have to declare the £45k too.

You have to provide yours and her bank statements to prove that what you're saying is true, If they go through your mum's old bank statements it will show up. I don't see how you can avoid it, other than her admitting fraud over the £3.5 excess, and even there is a possibility of them looking back far enough to see the transfer.

lovinituk

Why haven't you sorted it out in to your own name since you returned from travelling presumably in 2010 (you said you travelled for a year in starting in 2009)? That's not going to help your mum's case if that money has been sat in her name all this time.