Report A Benefits Cheat Or Not??

[scottishmist]

I have a “friend” who I know for sure is claiming benefits she is not entitled to because she has told me.
She is self-employed but only declares a certain amount she earns. She is also living with her partner and has been for at least 3/4 years, although she is claiming to be single.
She has just bought a car and booked a holiday abroad. For her 40th birthday four years ago she went on a Caribbean crusie - even though she was claiming working tax credit and housing benefit.
I feel what she is doing is morally wrong and as she has no children it’s not like she’s doing it for them. That being said am I just jealous because I can’t afford a car or foreign holiday? even though myself and my partner are working full time.
It's winding me up because she one minute she says how she's struggling to make ends meet and the next she's booked a holiday and buying bottles of champagne in Waitrose!!
Should I report her or not?

[naomi24]

//No,mind your own business. //

She's admitted she's claiming benefits she's not entitled to. If scottishmist is or ever was a taxpayer, it is his business. She's spending his money. Report her.

[Baldric]

"Just do it"

You know you want to!

[ludwig]

They won't take your word for it that she's a thief. They'll do their own investigation, and if she's not claiming what she's not entitled to she's got nothing to worry about.
Difficult one though.

[EDDIE51]

kvalidir some one reported my son and family it was a false accusation but it only took a 10 minute visit by a benefit officer to prove it was false.
If the claim is genuine it will very quickly be sorted out with out the person being inconvenienced.

[kvalidir]

We've had tenants though EDDIE who have had their benefits suspended whilst investigated ( and exonerated btw) which caused them absolute havoc, so I'm not sure it's always that straightforward.
I do also think it's a nasty thing to do to someone who clearly considers themselves to be your friend ( as she clearly does) and I think the OP is motivated not by any judicial desire but by simple jealousy, and you then have to decide whether you want to be ' a grass' or not. In come cultures and communities that's right up there with war crimes and genocide so could bode very poorly for the OP if she was found out.

[jno]

well, she's stealing from you as well as from everyone else. I'd be quite pleased if you managed to get her hand out of my pocket, for a start. You can do it anonymously, as others have pointed out.

[Hypognosis]

@paul1753

Easy, sign off jobseekers for a fortnight (because you can't seek work and holiday at the same time) - get your passports returned, hand them back when you sign on again. Easy.

@SandyRoe

pre-dates the Stasi. The Nazis had 'shop thy neighbour' established in the early 30's. The ghettos were set up after the shopped families were turfed out of their nice homes in the country (or wherever)

@Kvaldir

Only crooks use words like 'grass'. Or did but they've conditioned the rest of us to help them evade capture. Chillingly portrayed in that recent Jimmy McGovern drama (the joint enterprise one). Then again, given the association with Nazis/police state, it didn't take much to persuade us that it's a 'bad thing'.
That some put it on par with genocide and war crimes is just perverse logic.

[boxtops]

Friend or not, she's stealing from the system, and it pees me off no end to hear about cases like this. I've paid my taxes and gone without, being a law-abiding compliant person, only to have it thrown in my face by people stealing from the State - thereby leaving less money available for those who really need it. I'd report her like a shot.

[wolf63]

Report her. The DWP will thoroughly investigate the to see what they are able to prove.

[Retrochic]

scottishmist, If she's self-employed and single with no children she will be getting around £50 per week working tax credit and eligible only for £39 per week housing benefit -hardly enough to finance a Caribbean holiday and a new car so I presume her partner is earning sufficient to finance this. Its wrong, plain and simple and you should report her. My mother has a hairdresser that goes around doing old peoples hair in their home, this woman is on invalidity and gets an new large car every three years generously paid for out of my taxes. OH and I work full time, my car is a 2005 hubbies 2008 and we can't afford anything else -I'm not jealous, It makes me sick and its theft -report her and so what if she knows its you?

[gness]

Interesting post, Hypo...and I saw how early telling the truth and honesty became....."grassing up"....

To see children in junior school being told what would happen to them if they grassed on their classmate/s and to be made to feel cheap and bad for wanting to be truthful is sad...and just the start I suppose...

Scot...this is not a friendship and is making you unhappy....ending the friendship and reporting anonymously might be a good option...if you are certain of your facts.x

[Peter Pedant]

No. it is obvious it will be you - and this will make more trouble for you in the future

[Peter Pedant]

One of my tenants has bene reported for fraud four times
and my first question is now

for chrissakes who have you *** off now ?

[2sp_]

I would report her, in fact I have reported someone myself for the same crime. She is committing fraud and stealing money from an overstretched system put in place to help those really in need.

As others have said, the DWP will do their own investigation and if she is fiddling the system they will find out. I really doubt that you will be the only person that knows about it so it wouldn't necessarily be you that has reported her.

And if she is caught, she's to blame not you.

[dunnitall]

Glad you put quotes around 'friend'. I don't think you class her as such by doing that. If you are not happy with the situation and you find it's not tenable to your friendship then report her. IMO anyone flouting the system should be reported and without a second thought. The more we can highlight the misdemeanours of those who choose to abuse the benefits system the better it will be for those who need it and are often turned down when in need. Make sure you do what you feel is right and as you've posted here asking the question I feel sure you know what to do.

[scottishmist]

Thank you for all the responses.

I am 100% sure she shouldn't be claiming otherwise I wouldn't even consider reporting her. I appreciate that her self employed income might be low enough to claim tax credits, etc., but only if she was single. The fact is her partner is living with her and has been permanently for the last 3/4 years if not longer. He has a good job and I know that their combined incomes would mean they were not eligible for tax credits as they have no children to support.

She was talking about her council tax payments earlier this year and I asked why her monthy payments were less than ours (our houses are in the same band) and she said she got the single person discount... to which I replied "you're not single though" and she said her partner is not "officially" living with her as he is on the electoral roll at his sister's house.

She often says that she's waiting for her tax credits to go in the bank so she can buy this or that, so I know she's still claiming.

Maybe I should give her the option to own up and say that if she doesn't I report her?

[seadogg]

Whether you act or not depends on the type of person you are. If you are sensitive and easily upset, leave it and hope someone else does the job. Otherwise report and be damned.

[Prudie]

Agree with seadog's suggestion. Those who think it's mean might consider that if all those who are fraudulently claiming benefits were stopped then that saved money cold go towards the genuine cases.