MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Should Ken ‘save’ Deidre’s kids from being taken into care?

poet123

I would, just in case.....if it was a scam, what goes around comes around.

Martini

CurleyGirlie wrote: »

I'd offer to top up her electricity card. If she refused, I would know she was not genuine and walk away with a clear conscience.

Martini regarding the quote below:

I'm not going to lynch you, I just want to point out that's a pretty big assertion to make that all parents looking after children (such as myself!) receive benefits. They don't. If your partner's income is above a certain threshold, you are entitled to zilch. (Not that I am looking for benefits mind). And retired people, not entitled to incapacity benefit if they retired surely? Aren't they receiving a pension paid for via their insurance stamps?

CurleyGirlie,
Sorry but you read it incorrectly. I am not stating that parents looking after children are on benefits (although most receive "Family Allowance" which I would scrap!) but merely pointing out that a lot less than 29/30 are working for one reason or another! I would scrap "Family Allowance" because it is just a job creation scheme! What is the point in taxing us all, creaming a bit off and then giving us our money back? If I were PM benefits would only go to the needy. Everyone else would have to get off their backsides!

David_Harrison_2

.....so, kind, generous, (naive?) people, you give her the cash.

Next week you see her corpse on the front page of the local paper. Heroin addict dies of overdose. Funded habit by begging on the streets. Heart-broken parents quoted "we've no idea where she got the money to buy drugs..... we so miss our darling daughter..."

By all means offer to take her to the top-up and pay for the electricity, but when she refuses (and she will) call the police and report her. At least that way there is some hope that the drug addiction support services (limited though they are) might kick in.

If you give her the cash you are just as responsible for her death as the drug dealer who she will give it to.

David

luckysheba

No this is a scam. Social Services would pay for the electricity if she was desperate not take the children into care!

chrissie55

'Care' usually means the opposite, but Social Services are driven by their budget, not by kids' needs! A mother has to do a lot wrong before her kids are removed; she has only to accuse the father of abuse & he doesn't see his kids anymore without a social worker.

Savvy_Sue

It sounds like a scam, it probably is - but it might be true.

In an ideal world (not ten minutes late for the next appointment, etc.), my reply goes something like this...

I will not give you any money, but I will get you the electricity you need right now. I will put coins in your electricity meter, or go with you to the shop to top up your card. But you also need professional help: at the very least, you need to arrange a meeting in the next day or two with the local debt advice service - here are their details. And if you have other problems and would like to to talk about them, here are the details of a local drop-in, where someone will be happy to sit down and chat with you.

(Not S_S but DH...)

Johnny_Blue_Eyes

MSE_Wendy wrote: »

Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:

I would direct her to contact the nearest Citizens Advice Bureau who would help her in managing her debts, negotiating with Electricity Provider to supply power, and sorting out bank and social services problems.


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I would direct her to contact the nearest Citizens Advice Bureau who would help her in managing her debts, negotiating with Electricity Provider to supply power, and sorting out bank and social services problems.

moz86

How can all of you worry about weather she is a con artist or being "kind hearted" and giving her a tenner? That means her kids have been living without electricity, and will do again when that tenner has run out. She's only doing it to put a front on for social services. They deserve to get out of there!

Cosmic_Gorilla

As long as the woman is prepared to pay him back then yes he should lend her the money and 50% per week. He should also move into the house and get her to do all his cooking, washing and ironing until the whole debt is paid. As soon as he has got his money, his usury and all his stuff washed and ironed he should phone social services and tell them that she has bad men in the house. That way the kids get brought up in a nurturing and caring environment and he can move back in without all the noise. Sweet - everyone wins.

stogiebear

It's a scam, plain and simple... But judging by the naive responses from a few members of this forum I'd say it was a bloody good one!