Could my dad be investigated for benefit fraud

iris

I'm a bit confused - see link below
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3041820

TELLIT01

In answer to the basic question of whether the father could be investigated for benefit fraud, the answer is that anybody who is receipt of benefits could be investigated for fraud. Being investigated for fraud, and committing fraud are two very different things.

Keep_pedalling

It looks very much like your father has indeed been committing fraud on several fronts based on one of your older posts.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3041820

Housing_Benefit_Officer

So what happened to the home he owned outright? 6 years ago you said his house was worth £750,000 - I assume it is worth well over £1,000,000+ now. No idea how he wrangled social housing (you know that rare thing for those in most desperate need - not for property millionaires!). Is he being evicted due to owning another home elsewhere? Please tell...

Keep_pedalling

Housing_Benefit_Officer wrote: »

So what happened to the home he owned outright?

Based on the latest post over on the housing forum he still owns it, so he is in very serious trouble, and frankly I have little sympathy, old age is no excuse for large scale fraud that has apparently been going on for decades.

poppy12345

According to this post https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/72907379#Comment_72907379 His father has lived in the HA property for over 30 years. Now there's the other property which he's supposed to own....something clearly isn't right here.

Housing_Benefit_Officer

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

Based on the latest post over on the housing forum he still owns it, so he is in very serious trouble, and frankly I have little sympathy, old age is no excuse for large scale fraud that has apparently been going on for decades.

If he owns another home elsewhere then he has possible committed Tenancy Fraud by obtaining a house by deception. Any prosecution will come under the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/3/contents/enacted

haras_nosirrah

ah - if the threads are all correct then dad is in a bit of hot water. He apparently gets housing benefit and all sorts of other benefits while residing in a council home and also owning another home worth probably about £1m. I wonder if he has had the council property, inherited the other property as it has been in the family for 120 years, given the property to the op as they don't want it taken away to pay for potential care home fees and then moved back into the housing association property and claimed benefits

Diary

Would the OP be 'in trouble' for being complicit in such apparent large scale fraud?

bspm

Can't say I have ever taken a lot of notice of LondonSu's comments because nearly every post from her was normally on any thread where people were asking for help/advice on Dental Fines received in the post or NHS Prescription fines.

Usually she lambasted the poster for daring to try to get medicine for nothing instead of paying £8.60, or wrongly (whether intentionally or accidentally) ticking the wrong box for Contributions based or Income based treatment.

Amazing huh