Benefit Fraud

TBagpuss

If I was sure of my facts, I would probably report them. 3 years is a long time, it it does sound in this case as if they know wht they are doing and it is planned.

In other circumstances I might say something to those involved - not a 'I'm going to report you' but more "Are you sure that's allowed? I thought that you had to report that kind of change in circumstnace so DWP so you don't end up with them overpaying you or accusing you of fraud"

I would be slow to assume anyone is deliberately defrauding the system unless they have explicitly said they are - a lot of people find the rules confusing and rely on what friends tell them is or isn't allowed rather than checking the rules, and do have very odd ideas about what does or does not count as living with someone, for instance.

The only time I have ever actually reported someone was a person who very openly braggged about it. They were claiming a range of benefits including disability benefits, claiming they ere severely disabled, reliant on a wheelchair much of the time etc.
In fact they were living in a holiday home (while renting out the house in England they were claiming HB for) and were working part time - we met this person becasue they were trying to sell us a activity trip which involved quad-biking and rock climbing, with this chap as the guide...
My friend and I took one of his flyers (which included his name and photo) and sent it off. We didn't hear anything further, and it's possible that he was making it all up, although he seemed to be really proud that she was 'diddling' the government so well.

Guest101

Caroline_a wrote: »

Sorry to say this was many, many years ago, and I have no reason to think he or his colleagues that I met were lying. The rules were different then.

The 'rules'? Absolute rubbish.

Caroline_a

Guest101 wrote: »

The 'rules'? Absolute rubbish.

This was around 30 years ago. I don't think you were there - or perhaps you were a very young fraud officer? I'm only retelling what I was told by a close friend of mine and his colleagues who worked in benefit fraud at the time. If you don't like it, well I'm sorry but that's tough.

Guest101

Caroline_a wrote: »

This was around 30 years ago. I don't think you were there - or perhaps you were a very young fraud officer? I'm only retelling what I was told by a close friend of mine and his colleagues who worked in benefit fraud at the time. If you don't like it, well I'm sorry but that's tough.

I wasn't at the battle of hastings either, but I know about that...


And I can tell you that 30 years ago fraud investigation officers still required a warrant to enter a property...

Caroline_a

Goodness I wish I was as clever as you.

Taken from DWP Power of Entry Review of Powers of Entry Nov 2014 -

The Department for Work and Pensions (including those Non-Departmental Public Bodies
accountable to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) has 15 powers to enter premises
without a warrant and, in accordance with the requirements placed upon it under the Act, has
considered each of those powers, including the safeguards within them and whether it would be
appropriate to amalgamate, amend, repeal or increase the safeguards within the powers. The
relevant powers and the areas responsible for them are as follows:
• the Child Maintenance Group has one power, contained in Section 15 of the Child Support Act
1991;
• the Fraud and Error Service has one power, contained in Section 109C of the Social Security
Administration Act 1992;
• the Pensions Regulator (TPR) has six powers, contained in Sections 73 and 74 of the Pensions
Act 2004;
• the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has one power, contained in Section 192 of the Pensions
Act 2004;
Powers of Entry V1.indd 4 25/11/2014 11:58:51
A review of powers of entry by the Department for Work and Pensions 5
• the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has six powers within scope of the review: the Health
and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 1974, the Gas Safety (Rights of Entry) Regulations 1996,
the Explosives Act 1875, the Biocidal Products Regulations 2001, the Submarine Pipelines
(Inspectors etc) Regulations 1977 and the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928.

Sorry OP to briefly hijack your thread. I don't like being called a liar by people who think they are right regardless.

FBaby

You said that they don't try to hide that they are committing fraud, what do you mean by that? Are they actually bragging about it?

Personally, if it was me, I would have a quiet word with my brother and say that you really have an issue with what they are doing, that it is very wrong and he knows it, that you'd hope that they would they caught by now, but as they haven't you are now facing the decision to report them, unless they decide to report themselves a change in circumstances. I would say that I could have done it behind his back but at least you have enough respect for him to warn him.

I would then give him a timescale and then ask for evidence that they had reported the change to all relevant organisations.

chelseablue

They don't brag about it, but it seems to be common knowledge amongst the family that they get their rent paid for them.


His Mum also knows that the girlfriend receives other benefits

Mojisola

The amount of money they have stolen over the years is likely to result in a prison sentence for the woman - is what they are doing really worth that?

chelseablue

Mojisola wrote: »

The amount of money they have stolen over the years is likely to result in a prison sentence for the woman - is what they are doing really worth that?

She has 2 children so I wouldn't like to see her put in prison, all the benefit fraud cases I've heard of in the media they always seem to get given a suspended sentence and pay back the money over x amount of years

tea_lover

Mojisola wrote: »

The amount of money they have stolen over the years is likely to result in a prison sentence for the woman - is what they are doing really worth that?

So they've stolen so much now that they should get away with it, but if they'd stolen less they should be reported? That is some very back to front thinking.