Should I report a family member illegally claiming benefits?

Jagraf

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Because I don't consider claiming, or continuing to claim a benefit that you may no longer be entitled to, as "theft".

It's hardly comparable to shop-lifting or knocking old ladies down in the street for their handbags.

There are tens of thousands, perhaps more, who are going to get their benefits cut very, very soon. Child benefit, working tax credits, all sorts. Some of those might now be of a mind that claiming what you're not strictly entitled to is a crime, but some of them might be changing their tune once their own incomes start being jeopardised. And those will be people in work, not those who are jobless while allegedly living the life of Riley at the tax-payers' expense.

Oh the magic porridge pot again that continually floweth with money. And once those who do claim who shouldn't be claiming empty said porridge pot, what do those who are entitled do? Steal old ladies handbags? Steal from your shop?

BitterAndTwisted

That "magic porridge pot" is paying more in benefits to those in work than those who are jobless. How about we focus on getting the corporations off the benefits teat rather than the very small numbers claiming what they're not entitled to?

I have a feeling it would benefit some people's mental-health, and if not that then their world-view if they stopped believing what they read in the newspapers. It's blatant propaganda designed to mislead based on half-truths if not utter lies. We are lucky that we live in of one richest countries in the world. We can afford to support the least-fortunate. Fraud is a mere drop in the ocean. This isn't Burkino Faso or even Greece!

Jagraf

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

That "magic porridge pot" is paying more in benefits to those in work than those who are jobless. How about we focus on getting the corporations off the benefits teat rather than the very small numbers claiming what they're not entitled to?

I have a feeling it would benefit some people's mental-health, and if not that then their world-view if they stopped believing what they read in the newspapers. It's blatant propaganda designed to mislead based on half-truths if not utter lies. We are lucky that we live in of one richest countries in the world. We can afford to support the least-fortunate. Fraud is a mere drop in the ocean. This isn't Burkino Faso or even Greece!

This isn't really about what our views are on the benefit system. It's breaking the law. It's breakibg the law because it's theft.

Corelli

I too am glad that we live in a country that COULD look after those less fortunate. But we don't. People on low wages and those unable to work are being forced from their homes and into extreme poverty. According to the SMF, the rich are now 64% richer than before the recession, whilst the poor are 57% poorer than before the recession:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/britains-divided-decade-the-rich-are-64-richer-than-before-the-recessionwhile-the-poor-are-57-poorer-10097038.html

For example, London’s poorest households have been hit by a £50m rent rise as housing associations quietly switch thousands of tenancies to higher rates to make up a shortfall in government funding.

Here is one person's breakdown of their finances: She receives HB of £70 per week, whilst rent for a one bedroom flat costs £125 per week. She has a part time job which paying £87 per week and is not eligible for WTC as she not doing enough hours and she has no dependant children. So in total that's £27 a week left for everything.

People with disabilities are dying whilst waiting for assessment, waiting for the money they need to make life liveable. Or those with mental health issues who have fallen foul of the system, people are dying in increasing numbers due to them being failed by a still wealthy country.

If I knew of benefit fraud, really knew about it, and knew the relative to be genuinely milking it, like having several identities they were claiming under then I might possibly consider reporting them. But on a more minor scale, I'd consider it survival tactics.

System

I know someone who essentially committed benefit fraud. She is disabled and was in an abusive relationship. She wanted to declare their relationship but the bf insisted if she did he'd end the relationship and she would have then ended up homeless. it wasn't healthy, she depended on him as she couldn't do a lot of things herself and was terrified of what would happen if he left her. I didn't report her, but i did give her advice and support her when she finally found the confidence to end the relationship. She's much better these days and able to work though only part time but reporting her wouldn't have helped her, even though it was wrong.

duchy

FBaby wrote: »

It's not about knowing all the ins and out of a family member's business, it's about taking to them before acting on reporting them if they have reasons to believe that they might be commiting fraud. I would think that before you can suspect that it might be the case, you might have heard/seen/been told things that leads you to believe that it is the case. It's about clarifying things to reduce the chances of reporting falsly whilst not closing your eyes to strong suspicions.

You are still assuming a family member's financial affairs are your business.
Unless you would approach an aquaintance or a neighbour in the same way (which personally I wouldn't -maybe you would I don't know) then you are overstepping reasonable limits of privacy to insist a family member like a niece or nephew (as in the OP where it was an uncle) must discuss their finances with you.

joe_mcclaine

So some people see benefit fraud as an acceptable crime?

Nice.

!!!!!!!s.

Probably cuddle drink drivers too.

seven-day-weekend

Marisco wrote: »

I think it depends on the circumstances. If I knew the person had money and could afford to do without the benefit money, then yes I would, but if someone was struggling from week to week, and taking the benefits off them would make things worse, then no I wouldn't.

I don't see what difference it makes. It's either wrong or it isn't. It doesn't stop being wrong just because someone would struggle without it, if they are not entitled to it.

Having said that, I don't think I would report anyone. I would tell them that it was wrong. I have actually come up against this several times in the past. One was claiming Jobseekers' Allowance and not declaring income from her lodgers, I suggested that she might want to give up the JSA (especially as she told me she had no intention of getting a job) and just live on the lodgers' rents. She said she would lose things like free dental treatment if she did. Don't know what happened, I left it between her and her conscience. She no longer speaks to me (over a different incident entirely).

Another one was my friend's daughter, who was claiming single parent Benefits whilst co-habiting. Her dad (who told me this) actually didn't think she was doing anything wrong as she WAS actually single (i.e. not married). I told him the rules and left it at that. (The young woman in question now has a full-time job, so either way this situation has resolved itself).

The third one was someone who had gone to live in Spain, not told the authorities in the UK and was still claiming Housing Benefit for her house in the UK. I might well have reported this one except I didn't know her surname or her address in the UK (it was her mum who told me about it). She is still living in Spain, in Puerto Banus, I don't know what has happened about her UK house.

Vicky123

I can't get past the notion of an uncle discussing his financial affairs with nieces/nephews.
I would hazard a guess some of my uncles and aunts were pretty artful with their tax affairs but I might aswell have had a one way ticket to Australia if I had the nerve to question them on their honesty, it wouldn't occur to me to be so nosey, probably too busy dealing with my own life.

balletshoes

MSE_Nick wrote: »

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

I found out that my uncle is claiming benefits he's not entitled to. He used to qualify, but the rules changed and he's still receiving payments despite no longer being eligible. Should I report him?

If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply

i'd have a few questions for the OP, and go from there.
How does the OP know their uncle doesn't qualify under the new rules? How do they know their uncle is still receiving payments for this benefit?
If they are on such good terms with their uncle that they know this, and know it from their uncle, i'd be suggesting they speak to their uncle and check that he knows what the rules of eligibility are, and check that he knows that he either does still, or doesn't now, qualify for the benefit in question.