Should I report a family member illegally claiming benefits?

dw1

Clairsdad wrote: »

It is very unlikely that the Benefit offices simply missed this one, they employ thousands of staff who spend all day making certain they never pay a penny more than they absolutely have to. Even in the case of an extreme fluke or deliberate fraud how do you imagine the person and their loved ones will react when they find out what you have done?

If they haven't done anything wrong, how are they going to know you reported them? The benefit office are hardly going to send them a letter saying 'so and so reported you'...

kells99

While the answer should be yes, report them, but if the system hasn't picked it up, that is their fault.
If it was me receiving the money, I would keep it but but it to one side and after an acceptable amount of time (this could be years) keep it permanently.
If i was you, and you feel very strongly about it, talk to them about how you feel. If they choice not to do anything at least your conscience is clear without shopping them.

BWZN93

Clairsdad wrote: »

If you don't mind alienating yourself from your entire family... because that is the very real risk. Just imagine for one moment that there just might be a reasonable explanation for why it is happening, something you just don't know about. It is very unlikely that the Benefit offices simply missed this one, they employ thousands of staff who spend all day making certain they never pay a penny more than they absolutely have to. Even in the case of an extreme fluke or deliberate fraud how do you imagine the person and their loved ones will react when they find out what you have done? I promise you no one will be giving you a reward for reporting them the only true motivation is feeling satisfied you have done the right thing... when in reality you never will actually 'know' if you have. The real answer to the morality issue is to confront your relative yourself and persuade them that if you know then it is only a matter of time before other people do too. That way you are really trying to help them help themselves and if (as I suspect) you don't know all the facts, then no dreadful harm will be done.

!!!!!!? This is !!!!!!!! and you are entirely wrong. Mistakes and fraud happen a lot and morally; if that relative isn't going to sort it themselves then you report it. By your logic you'd hide an accidental death in the family because the only motivation is doing the right thing.

It's called doing the right thing for a reason. You assist fraud and deception and theft and you are as bad as the person doing it.

BWZN93

kells99 wrote: »

While the answer should be yes, report them, but if the system hasn't picked it up, that is their fault.
If it was me receiving the money, I would keep it but but it to one side and after an acceptable amount of time (this could be years) keep it permanently.
If i was you, and you feel very strongly about it, talk to them about how you feel. If they choice not to do anything at least your conscience is clear without shopping them.

Why would you keep it? Are you entitled to it? No, you're not. Plain and simple, legally, the money is not yours and therefore you are a criminal if you do this.

Mojisola

kells99 wrote: »

While the answer should be yes, report them, but if the system hasn't picked it up, that is their fault.
If it was me receiving the money, I would keep it but but it to one side and after an acceptable amount of time (this could be years) keep it permanently.

The system won't pick it up for some time if the claimant is lying on the forms. The crime usually comes to light at some point when the fraudster could be looking at a court appearance as well as paying the money back.

Jagraf

Why are people arguing that stealing is ok? Where do folk think this money comes from, a magic porridge pot?

Georgiegirl256

I'd give them a chance to sort it out, and then if they didn't then yes, I would report them.

Jagraf

Clairsdad wrote: »

If you don't mind alienating yourself from your entire family... because that is the very real risk. Just imagine for one moment that there just might be a reasonable explanation for why it is happening, something you just don't know about. It is very unlikely that the Benefit offices simply missed this one, they employ thousands of staff who spend all day making certain they never pay a penny more than they absolutely have to. Even in the case of an extreme fluke or deliberate fraud how do you imagine the person and their loved ones will react when they find out what you have done? I promise you no one will be giving you a reward for reporting them the only true motivation is feeling satisfied you have done the right thing... when in reality you never will actually 'know' if you have. The real answer to the morality issue is to confront your relative yourself and persuade them that if you know then it is only a matter of time before other people do too. That way you are really trying to help them help themselves and if (as I suspect) you don't know all the facts, then no dreadful harm will be done.

Would you feel the same if your relatives just kept taking money out of your purse? Would you fear alienation? That money belongs to someone.

gettingtheresometime

Yes I would for 2 reasons.

Firstly the benefit system is there to act as a safety net

Secondly if people continue to abuse the system then it all the more incentive for politicians of a certain colour to get rid of it

julie777

janiebquick wrote: »

How do you know that he is no longer entitled to them? Surely, if the "rules have changed" it is up to the benefit office to determine his eligibility, not you.

Even when there are changes it is often the case that some recipients are not affected immediately. And how do you know his benefits have not been reduced? It's easy to be suspicious but we are not always correct.