Client/Solicitor Confidentiality

[papasmf]

I need to consult a Solicitor regarding me and my husband getting divorce. I have been committing benefit fraud and my husband has said that if i consult a solicitor because he is refusing to pay me any money for me and my baby. I will have to tell the solicitor and he is forced by law to inform the authorities and I will end up with a criminal record. Is this true?

[jenniprice]

Benefit fraud is a crime and people do go to prison for it. Best thing is to own up to the council now and pay back the money which you took illegally.
Otherwise you may go to prison, face penalties or in most cases get a caution, pay back the money you owe, and pay back the costs to prosecute you.

[Barmaid]

What have you actually done and how much is the total you have defrauded? Under certain circumstances if you admit it and offer to pay back, you will get an administrative penalty (ie, no criminal record). However, if it is more than about �2k and the claim was fraudulent from the start, yes you are likely to end up with a criminal record.

In the past, lawyers were not obliged to notify the authorities of criminal activity but under the Money Laundering Regulations, they are obliged now to inform NCIS.

Is your husband in any complicit in this fraud? If so, he could well be jointly charged so it may be as well for him to cooperate with you.

[wendilla]

Why are you worried about having a criminal record.You didn't worry about that when you were stealing money from all us people that work .We don't get off without paying our taxes ect.