if you knew someone was abusing the system would you report it?

bluelass

I suffer epilepsy but I could never get PIP or ESA. A man I know had a accident many years ago supposedly a tree fell on him and injured him. Nineteen years later he says he still cannot work and gets high rate disability and claims DLA ( he got these years before they changed) he walks better than me and he uses crutches he doesn't even require. When he had the accident he got almost a quarter of a million from the council as the tree was in a municipal clough.

dippy3103

Why are you so sure he doesn't need crutches?

In short if I thought he was abusyng the system yes I would.

nannytone_2

unless you live with this man, or watch him constantly, how can you be sure that he doesn't have real difficulties?
the fact that you say that you can't get disability benefits, points towards a degree of envy.
but, if you feel he is fraudulently claiming, it is your duty to report him

Blindsided_2

So because you can't claim ( and I'm not sure why, many people with epilepsy do) you think you are in some way qualified to make assumptions about the mans health? Unless you are with him 24/7 I don't see how you can

McKneff

Sounds an awful lot like the green eyed monster.


Would you rather be more ill than you are to be able to claim more money.....

tomtom256

What has the payout got to do with DLA?

If he is scamming the system report him, however if it's just envy because he has been awarded DLA and you haven't leave him be.

Pollycat

Title of your thread:

if you knew someone was abusing the system would you report it?

The word in bold red is - to me - the key thing.

Do you know for sure that this person is committing benefit fraud?

How do you know - for sure?

Why do you say 'supposedly a tree fell on him and injured him'?
Do you doubt this too?
Would the Council have given him £250,000 (presumably compensation) if it didn't actually happen?

Being resentful that you have been rejected for certain benefits is no reason to report someone else.

To answer your question - if I knew someone was claiming benefits fraudulently, then yes I would report them.

GlasweJen

There are different degrees of "having epilepsy". Some people with epilepsy take medication and live a fairly seizure free life, they can learn to drive and have very few limitations.

Others with epilepsy tey medication and it doesn't work, they have frequent seizures, require specialist bedding because even sleep isn't safe and they will never be able to drive or do most jobs.

Group 1 don't tend to get DLA/ESA/PIP, group 2 do.

merlin68

The council dont give that sort of money for nothing im claiming compensation at the moment for falling down a broken council staircase, they sent me for a medical before they accepted liability, a year on im still waiting for payment. He may have good and bad days. I always go out with 2 crutches but if it involves walking its the wheelchair.I would never report anyone as you dont know the full situation.

racon

Hey, many people have accidents, some are down to people not taking enough care themselves and others are down to mistakes caused by others. I do not see how having an accident = a claim for compensation. We lost our grandson when he was born. The hospital admitted to my daughter that they were at fault as was the local midwife. Yet, in all of the despair and anguish that followed my daughter didn't dream of demanding compensation - she was far to wrapped up in the loss of her child.
People have to take responsibility for their own actions as well as those of others. Would you continue to drive a car at high speed when you could see a lorry on the wrong side of the road bearing down on you?


As for reporting someone, no I wouldn't. Simply because no one but they know the full facts. Until you have evidence to prove the fact, you should keep well out of it. Besides which I'm sure you have more important things to worry about than somebody who might be carrying out a fraud. In my day those types of people were called 'curtain twitchers' - they couldn't mind their own business if they tried and were ostracised by the neighbours.

seven-day-weekend

Ihave Known (as in they told me themselves what they were claiming) two people who were committing Benefit fraud.

I did not report either of them. I told them that what they were doing WAS fraud, and left what they did about it to their own consciences.