Issues at work

catz1ct

Mersey wrote: »

Although nothing surprises me re some public sector forms these days. I saw one council's HB appn form that listed 6 possibilities for sexuality and asked - amongst it's 80-odd questions - how many bathrooms were in the property.


I realise each council likes to produce their own forms but it's amazing how much they all vary for the same benefit. Hopefully the backbench MP's bid to minimise forms and simplify re Clear English will get Govt support. The old DWP script means some still ask 20-year-old women seeking to claim JSA if they receive coal miners' compensation £ (!)

Isn't the bathroom thing something to do with the rent officer referrals ?

Mersey_2

Possibly. Although in my area, it's included in one council's form but not the neighbouring borough's HB form.


Of course the LHA rate covers the 6 boroughs of the 'city region' so is odd that they all have different forms.

purpleroad

If the OP was living with his girlfriend and temporarily but didn't declare this on the JSA form, would they find out and how?


Out of interest, people must do this for council tax (there's a reduction for single claimants), how do they catch these guys?

boliston

purpleroad wrote: »

If the OP was living with his girlfriend and temporarily but didn't declare this on the JSA form, would they find out and how?


Out of interest, people must do this for council tax (there's a reduction for single claimants), how do they catch these guys?

You could have a "stealth" partner and get a 25% discount for single occupier as long as the partner was happy to be "off the radar" regarding being on the electoral register - they would have difficulty if they ever needed a credit card or a loan.

Mersey_2

purpleroad wrote: »

Out of interest, people must do this for council tax (there's a reduction for single claimants), how do they catch these guys?

This is one of the largest undetected frauds (the 25% discount).


Canvassers, postmen, binmen, GPs, Tesco deliveries and so on all see lots of properties with 2 living there, but only 1 on the Roll.

nannytone_2

Mersey wrote: »

This is one of the largest undetected frauds (the 25% discount).


Canvassers, postmen, binmen, GPs, Tesco deliveries and so on all see lots of properties with 2 living there, but only 1 on the Roll.

the people you mention DO see households with 2 or more living in them.
but what they wont know is who is claiming the 25% council tax reduction.

why not add neighbours and people that regularly walk down the street too?

its about as relevant

Mersey_2

nannytone wrote: »

the people you mention DO see households with 2 or more living in them.
but what they wont know is who is claiming the 25% council tax reduction.

why not add neighbours and people that regularly walk down the street too?

its about as relevant

This is presumably why it's "one of the largest undetected frauds" as I stated (although it was also the words of the Frank Field MP, who chairs the Parliamentary Select Committee.)


We know far too many are claiming the discount, it's just that it's left to local councils to decide whether they want to pursue the matter to find out who they are. Some councils choose to and most do not. In my own area, Liverpool City Council specifically had a Budget option detecting this fraud (an estimated £300k cost to save £1.9m pa), but they decided to spend the £300k on something else.


Frank Field MP went on: "...in my own area we know from looking at the Electoral Roll that 28% of properties supposedly only contain one adult occupant and most of these will claim the 25% single occupancy discount...and yet Wirral Council, Census enumeration data, schools, churches all tell me that only 19% of households are sole occupiers from their data. The postmen know it, the milkman (if they still have one) knows it, the bin men probably know it too. I'm not suggesting Local Government becomes overly intrusive such as electronically tagging and measuring rubbish bins as some have suggested, but surely better joined up Government and data matching between the DWP, Local Authorities and so on could save us hundreds of millions every year?"

boliston

Is there not some way they can cross reference the addresses for paye and council tax to detect people who are "off the radar" as far as council tax goes but who are registered for paye?

dippy3103

applepicker wrote: »

How much hassle is it to say at your JSA interview that you aren't in fact living by yourself as you put on the form but with girlfriend? If you're going for contribution based then it shouldn't affect how much you get, should it? Just put day of interview they moved in not two weeks before or whatever. Also, call council and change council tax from single person. Is this all much hassle?


Could ask for the JSA letters to be sent to work address, that would stop GF definitely knowing have signed on, can you do this?

You are suggesting fraud by not declaring your true circumstances.
If you claim JSA c it makes no odds.

It's simple really. Put the truth on the form
& be open with your GF.

And you can't use work address for post.

catz1ct

It can also be a difficult fraud to prove. I think the government should be harder on benefit fraudsters.