Benefit Fraudsters

[pink sparkles]

Again, a very good point about the benefits system being biased against families! If kids grow up better with two parents, then why does the benefits system penalise families with two parents like that???

Poverty isn't a crime, but the way the government runs things, it might as well be!

Yes it does really seem to promote single parent families. Her bf is by no means on a good wage, i mean under 1k a month but because of his wage they were expected to fully support themselves. How are you supposed to pay rent council tax bills and support 3 people on under 1k a month is beyond me. At least now they dont have to worry about rent or c tax but they by no means live a luxurious life. Im sure many families have done this but I think if they are doing it because its the only way they can survive then i would never report them. its the ones whos partners earn a really good wage but claim every benefit going as a "single parent" and can afford cars new tvs etc etc etc. thats wrong but situations like my friends where they just need the benefit to cover some bills so they can pay off debt and the bills each month with little money to spare but at least they wont be in debt - those are the situations that i would turn a blind eye to because in my view that is the governments doing

 

[Ruth Mills]

Yes it does really seem to promote single parent families. Her bf is by no means on a good wage, i mean under 1k a month but because of his wage they were expected to fully support themselves. How are you supposed to pay rent council tax bills and support 3 people on under 1k a month is beyond me. At least now they dont have to worry about rent or c tax but they by no means live a luxurious life. Im sure many families have done this but I think if they are doing it because its the only way they can survive then i would never report them. its the ones whos partners earn a really good wage but claim every benefit going as a "single parent" and can afford cars new tvs etc etc etc. thats wrong but situations like my friends where they just need the benefit to cover some bills so they can pay off debt and the bills each month with little money to spare but at least they wont be in debt - those are the situations that i would turn a blind eye to because in my view that is the governments doing

Yep, can't agree more there! And what also sucks is that people in that situation often can't get "cheap" credit either - they're forced to go to doorstep lenders and whatnot, who charge sky-high rates of interest, thus perpetuating the situation even longer! I'd prefer it that the Government paid more benefits if it put an end to parasitic lending to vulnerable people at astronomical interest rates! Actually, it would make a lot of sense if the Government passed legislation that "capped" the maximum interest rate that anyone could charge, and put those "legal loan sharks" out of business!

 

[Annie23]

I always never know what to say when this topic comes up.

My best friend in the world had a little boy 18 months ago, she was kicked out by her mum for it and couldnt move in with her bfs family as they had a tiny house he didnt even have his own room. She went to the council who put her in a disgusting and dangerous hostel and she remained there until she had the baby, eventually they got a private rented flat together because she didnt feel safe there with the baby. They were ok for a couple of months but really struggled and ended up taking out credit cards just to buy shopping. they sold their car, furnished their house with freebies and could literally pay the bills each month and nothing else. Anyway they ran up so much debt they couldnt afford to live and they told the council bf had moved out so now she gets hb to cover some of her rent and council tax benefit.

Now before this happend to her I would say Id shop someone in for doing it - HOWEVER, the state is more willing to help her if she is another single mum. As a family unit they got no help whatsoever and couldnt survive. Even now they pay their bills and they pay off their debts and live a little better than before but they still go without and struggle. In their situation I would never report them.

TBH in my view, the government should give more benefits to families, they force people into these situations just to keep their heads above water. If they gave family units benefits for being exactly that, a family unit - then I think a lot of benefit fraud would stop becuase people would declare who actually lives and contributes to their household.

I always wonder though how do people know that they are comitting fraud in the first place? She always panics everytime the phone rings or someone knocks at the door and myself his parents and her parents are the only ones who know what theyre doing. How do people find out that their next door neighbour or whoever is not meant to have their partner there or that they shouldnt be working? Where I live I see people come and go everyday but I dont know their personal living situations to know if benefit fraud is taking place?

Yeah, it does make you wonder! I am far too busy with my own life to worry too much about others who are not in my immediate circle. I did suspect my neighbours a few years ago of benefit fraud, they seperated and then he came back. But I never felt the need to report them even though they once reported me to the dog warden cos my mum being the fiesty person she is gave her a mouthfull when she asked quite rightly to keep the dogs from barking so much lol. I wouldnt care it wasn't even me that was being arkward, but I was the one who got reported!!!!!

Incidently, I do have a very close friend, a single mother of three, who works full time and is literally hanging on the edge. She has decided to take her youngest on holiday to Butlins for one week, the others are in 20's but live at home, they go in a weeks time. It is her youngest first and only holiday, she has arranged this holiday knowing full well that she cannot afford it, she is really too sick to be working even though she does (she suffers from crippling migraines and is constantly in pain - probably stress induced) and knowing that when she comes back she is going to have to face the prospect of losing her home that she loves. Now you tell me what is right in the government not giving single parents, who want to work, some kind of help that allows them to say in their own home. This week I saw on the news 11,400 homes were reposessed in the three months to the end of June this year. yet if my friend happened to live in a council house she would automatically be eligible for housing benefit. Surely it would be cheaper to keep people in their own homes instead of perpetuating a housing crisis.

anne xx

 

[Emmaejc23]

Yep, can't agree more there! And what also sucks is that people in that situation often can't get "cheap" credit either - they're forced to go to doorstep lenders and whatnot, who charge sky-high rates of interest, thus perpetuating the situation even longer! I'd prefer it that the Government paid more benefits if it put an end to parasitic lending to vulnerable people at astronomical interest rates! Actually, it would make a lot of sense if the Government passed legislation that "capped" the maximum interest rate that anyone could charge, and put those "legal loan sharks" out of business!

That just reminds me of a flyer which I received the other day offering guranteed unsecured loans to anybody regardless of credit history or financial situation. The APR rate was 184%! My first reaction was 'who in their right mind would consider taking such a loan?' but upon reflection I suppose that could have been me a few years ago when I was up to my eyeballs in debt and constantly hiding from the bailiffs - i would definately have considered it anyway. These companies prey on people who are absolutely desperate and this practice should be illegal imo.

 

[Ruth Mills]

That just reminds me of a flyer which I received the other day offering guranteed unsecured loans to anybody regardless of credit history or financial situation. The APR rate was 184%! My first reaction was 'who in their right mind would consider taking such a loan?' but upon reflection I suppose that could have been me a few years ago when I was up to my eyeballs in debt and constantly hiding from the bailiffs - i would definately have considered it anyway. These companies prey on people who are absolutely desperate and this practice should be illegal imo.

I know! Even store cards at 30% are a tad excessive in my view - especially when the base rate is 0.5%!

But 184%? WTF??? And some of those "payday" loans have APRs that work out even higher than that!!!

 

[dee]

i would vote no ... i dont agree with it at all infact it makes me sick, especially when there are people who are genuinely ill and need to claim and have to jump through hoops to do it !
but i dont think i would ever shop anyone, its just not my nature. even though i know plenty of people that rip the pi$$ outta the system i usually just drop not too subtle hints that its out of order that we have to pay tax etc.. and they get everything for bloody nothing , lol
it is right we should stand up against it but .. usually the type of people that do it are way craftier than us !! and hence why they get a way with it

 

[Lady_Nightshade]

Now I have an opposite experience. My mom was a single mother after my 'father' walked out (I say father I mean biological entity who gave me part of my genes he was no real father) and she got no real help from the government, I think she was allocated £40 for my brother and £20 for me, and got half her rent paid and that was all.
The only reason we ate is because five days out of seven we would go to my nans (moms mom) for lunch and dinner.
My mother would save like crazy just to afford us new clothes and my great grandma would buy us shoes, and 99% the time I wore my brothers cast offs (he was older)
My 'father' paid nothing towards us, the state didnt help us. All I can say in my case is Thank God we had grandparents. They couldnt afford much either but between them and my mom we didnt starve. We never (as a family) resorted to sponging the benefit system though. Never ever! And I dont see why people should!

 

[leonnib]

Now I have an opposite experience. My mom was a single mother after my 'father' walked out (I say father I mean biological entity who gave me part of my genes he was no real father) and she got no real help from the government, I think she was allocated £40 for my brother and £20 for me, and got half her rent paid and that was all.
The only reason we ate is because five days out of seven we would go to my nans (moms mom) for lunch and dinner.
My mother would save like crazy just to afford us new clothes and my great grandma would buy us shoes, and 99% the time I wore my brothers cast offs (he was older)
My 'father' paid nothing towards us, the state didnt help us. All I can say in my case is Thank God we had grandparents. They couldnt afford much either but between them and my mom we didnt starve. We never (as a family) resorted to sponging the benefit system though. Never ever! And I dont see why people should!

what if there is no grandparents. some people dont even have that.. my son has has no contact with his grandparents on my side ( my parents) and my hubby mum (no contact with this dad) dont live here.

so i know it is very hard in those cirumstances as there isnt any other source of help so i woudnt see that as sponging.
luckily me and my partner are together now but if i was still a single parent things would have been alot different.

 

[Lady_Nightshade]

what if there is no grandparents. some people dont even have that.. my son has has no contact with his grandparents on my side ( my parents) . and my hubby mum (no contact with this dad) dont live here.

so i know it is very hard in those cirumstances as there isnt any other source of help so i woudnt see that as sponging.

Thats why in my first post I said I wouldnt report certain peoples.. only if they were doing it for selfish/lazy reasons.
I have a friend, who has got 2year old twins and a husband who was made unemployed recently, she also has MS. IF she were to ever do it (Im not saying she does) I certainly wouldnt report her.

BUT the people who pop kids out for the benefits they can get.. Hell yeh.

:hug:

 

[leonnib]

Thats why in my first post I said I wouldnt report certain peoples.. only if they were doing it for selfish/lazy reasons.
I have a friend, who has got 2year old twins and a husband who was made unemployed recently, she also has MS. IF she were to ever do it (Im not saying she does) I certainly wouldnt report her.

BUT the people who pop kids out for the benefits they can get.. Hell yeh.

:hug:

what i hate is when people have like 8 children and say i couldnt earn that if worked etc. so they will stay on benefits for ever. i dont know anyone personally who does it but there benefit is like an income.

and they earn more then i have ever earned every month
yep that is definetely scrounging


but i do know an oap who gets very little every week and does mini cabbing to top up. yes its wrong but i can see why and feel sorry for him

 

[Lady_Nightshade]

what i hate is when people have like 8 children and say i couldnt earn that if worked etc. so they will stay on benefits for ever. i dont know anyone personally who does it but there benefit is like an income.

and they earn more then i have ever earned every month
yep that is definetely scrounging


but i do know an oap who gets very little every week and does mini cabbing to top up. yes its wrong but i can see why and feel sorry for him

And yet if caught who's gonna get the harsher punishment? The people popping kids out for money or the oap with nothing?
The system is screwed imo.

 

[mercedes69]

I voted no....which isn't necessarily the right answer...

but like others have said...I don't know nor care what people do.....
I haven't got it in me to cause trouble for other people...I think I must have hippy type gene's in me....I'm more of a 'hey maaaannnnnn' type of person....

I just couldn't be @rsed...plus I have a phone phobia :lol:

 

[number1kitty]

I always never know what to say when this topic comes up.

My best friend in the world had a little boy 18 months ago, she was kicked out by her mum for it and couldnt move in with her bfs family as they had a tiny house he didnt even have his own room. She went to the council who put her in a disgusting and dangerous hostel and she remained there until she had the baby, eventually they got a private rented flat together because she didnt feel safe there with the baby. They were ok for a couple of months but really struggled and ended up taking out credit cards just to buy shopping. they sold their car, furnished their house with freebies and could literally pay the bills each month and nothing else. Anyway they ran up so much debt they couldnt afford to live and they told the council bf had moved out so now she gets hb to cover some of her rent and council tax benefit.

Now before this happend to her I would say Id shop someone in for doing it - HOWEVER, the state is more willing to help her if she is another single mum. As a family unit they got no help whatsoever and couldnt survive. Even now they pay their bills and they pay off their debts and live a little better than before but they still go without and struggle. In their situation I would never report them.

TBH in my view, the government should give more benefits to families, they force people into these situations just to keep their heads above water. If they gave family units benefits for being exactly that, a family unit - then I think a lot of benefit fraud would stop becuase people would declare who actually lives and contributes to their household.

I always wonder though how do people know that they are comitting fraud in the first place? She always panics everytime the phone rings or someone knocks at the door and myself his parents and her parents are the only ones who know what theyre doing. How do people find out that their next door neighbour or whoever is not meant to have their partner there or that they shouldnt be working? Where I live I see people come and go everyday but I dont know their personal living situations to know if benefit fraud is taking place?

Good post!

They find out by the credit accounts linked to that address, if BF gets post there etc. Even as simple as his work having that address. He will be allowed to stay no more than 3 nights a week and they must never leave anything there not even a toothbrush!

They stalk you with CCTV vans and all sorts there dreadful for it!

At the end of the day the public should get to decide what happens to these people as its us that pays the money. If someones taking the mick we get it all back and if someones only doing it to feed their kids to save them stealing if they honestly struggle getting work, then turn a blind eye.

Obviously its going to wind people up when your neighbour works 50 hour weeks, never sees there kids and has nothing to show for it, but you sit on benefits wearing designer gear and have 50" plasmas in every room, err hello, some people wonder why they get grassed up!

And then you get some MPs wondering why the british public are giving their votes to the likes of the BNP and UKIP!!

Thing is every one knows the system is not fair. Even us smaller business's struggle because the government only care about the larger corporations. You only have to look over the last few months. The government bails the banks out but lets thousands lose their home, leaving thousands of empty properties that have been repossesed whilst these people fight for social housing, which there is little of now because of the right to buy scheme and the influx of immigrants. And then that leads on to the fact european workers can claim benefits for kids that do not live in the UK.

The whole system is corrupt and has not worked for a very long time.

 

[Annie23]

Good post!

They find out by the credit accounts linked to that address, if BF gets post there etc. Even as simple as his work having that address. He will be allowed to stay no more than 3 nights a week and they must never leave anything there not even a toothbrush!

They stalk you with CCTV vans and all sorts there dreadful for it!

Interesting to find out how they do it!

At the end of the day the public should get to decide what happens to these people as its us that pays the money. If someones taking the mick we get it all back and if someones only doing it to feed their kids to save them stealing if they honestly struggle getting work, then turn a blind eye.

Obviously its going to wind people up when your neighbour works 50 hour weeks, never sees there kids and has nothing to show for it, but you sit on benefits wearing designer gear and have 50" plasmas in every room, err hello, some people wonder why they get grassed up!

Totally agree with this point

And then you get some MPs wondering why the british public are giving their votes to the likes of the BNP and UKIP!!

Thing is every one knows the system is not fair. Even us smaller business's struggle because the government only care about the larger corporations. You only have to look over the last few months. The government bails the banks out but lets thousands lose their home, leaving thousands of empty properties that have been repossesed whilst these people fight for social housing, which there is little of now because of the right to buy scheme and the influx of immigrants. And then that leads on to the fact european workers can claim benefits for kids that do not live in the UK.

Finally someone has had the guts to mention the problems faced with allowing an influx of immigrants that was never controlled, the government have no clue as to how many there are in the country! If they can police us going out of the country why could they not have policed the amount coming into the country and have some kind of cut off point. Genuine cases such as those fleeing and seeking asylum I feel for but those just taking all the jobs making it impossible for everyone else to be employed, its taking the mick!! and now we are in a recession and people cannot get a job, years they are/have been on the dole looking for work. Its not right.

The whole system is corrupt and has not worked for a very long time.

Totally agree!

very interesting post!

anne xx

 

[min11]

I wish I could say I would how ever I have a very close friend and single Mum who I could never do that to. She has two young children and has tried to work how ever she is actually better off not to. Despite that she does work and gets income support but her total income still isn't enough to actually manage on and so she works a few hours extra which aren't declared.

I have often wondered about the families who seem to be doing so well on benefits, years ago I was friends with a Mum of four, her husband had been made redundant but built fireplaces in their council house garage which he sold and fitted on the quiet. He'd earned enough to kit the garage out into a workshop! In the mean time Stuart earned to much to get income support but we struggled for everything we owned and ate yet her kids were always in designer clothes, she sold the formula milk she got with milk tokens in the local paper and drove a better car than we did! These days that kind of fraud I might well be able to turn a blind eye to, I guess then for me it would depend on the level of it and why they are doing it.

 

[Ruth Mills]

They stalk you with CCTV vans and all sorts there dreadful for it!

And I'm paying taxes to pay for Orwellian surveillance like that! What a waste of money! Bet it costs more to pay for that then they'll get back from the fraudulent benefit claimants! I hate unnecessary bureaucracy like that!!!

Thing is every one knows the system is not fair. Even us smaller business's struggle because the government only care about the larger corporations. You only have to look over the last few months. The government bails the banks out but lets thousands lose their home, leaving thousands of empty properties that have been repossesed whilst these people fight for social housing, which there is little of now because of the right to buy scheme and the influx of immigrants. And then that leads on to the fact european workers can claim benefits for kids that do not live in the UK.

Too right! I'm all for supporting small businesses, but when it's big businesses, and fat cats like "Fred the Shred" taking the mickey, I'd much rather be a raving socialist, thank you very much!!!

It's like when you've got a mortgage, you'll probably pay the bank more than what your house is worth in interest payments over the course of your mortgage! Like at the moment, the bank will pay you bog all interest on your savings, but still have the cheek to charge loads more for a mortgage. And as for loans and credit cards - well don't even go there! Most credit cards are probably charging at least 30 times more interest than the base rate now!!!

 

[hailnails]

Most families that claime benefits do work & work very hard !!!
the reason why they claim 2 b split up, r not working, is because they work all sorts of hrs in cleaning jobs r sercurity jobs on the min wage,:cry::cry::cry: lots of these jobs r out side the lovely 9am-5pm working day. Do u not think that these people would love to have a nice job with fab working hrs, is it their fault that they come from a disadvantage bkground & never got the right education or encoragement, we got! SHAME on u Shame on u all!!!
Why dont u start a poll for the MPs that r claiming 4 2nd & 3rd homes r the doctors & judges that do every thing in their power to avoid paying the correct amount of tax (because they can afford to pay for financial advicers to worm their way out of it) OMG u lot have sooooooooo just got me started, wat about r money being used 2 keep peados nice & safe in prison, r imagrints coming here & bleeding us all dry, while r nhs is in such a bad way!!! WISE UP:!: & start 2 complain about somthing that is worth talking about :zzz::zzz::zzz:

 

[persianista]

I'm the arch capitalist tory on here I think!
I work bloody hard, pay vast amounts of tax (more than my fair share) and other people depend on me for their livelihoods (a responsibility I take seriously)
I have no issue with paying towards a safety net for those in our society who have fallen into difficulties through no fault of their own.
I believe that society should look after it's elderly and disabled. It is the mark of a civilised society.
I wouldn't shop a single mother doing a few hours work cash in hand.
What gets my back up is the SCROUNGERS, the ones that play the system, the MPs, the girls that have babies so they don't have to work. The ones that are fiddling to buy luxuries. Yes I would shop them, and I wouldnt bat an eyelid about doing it.

 

[FlawlessBeauty]

I think benefits are a great thing for people who need them. People who are honestly trying to get a job and can't, people who have an illness/ problem that means they are unable, etc.

However, i am furious that people that have no problems refuse to work because they can't be bothered and want benefits instead, and often more than the people that actually need it.

It makes it so difficult for honest people to claim benefits and a lot of them get looked down upon and called scroungers because they are all tarred with the same brush.

Its such a shame that the dishonest people in this country ruin it for everyone else.

 

[steve@nouvatan]

This is a subject very close to my heart at the moment my ex partner and her boyfriend are living in a house i own !! i pay 530 a month on the mortgage the CSA have assessed me at 460 but have accepted that my mortgage payment is a financial commitment to my children and they are ok with it
Her boyfriend has a flat It is empty and just a post box!!
he lives at my old house that i own in every sense of the word he has 2 cars and a work van on my drive!!
She is on benefits and because he has is own place i cant prove a thing!!