Benefit Fraud

[memoblock]

Does anyone know the procedure if someone is caught doing Benefit Fraud please?

I know of someone who is claiming housing benefits and Job Seekers allowance and has recently started working full time getting paid cash in hand and not declaring their earnings.

I am torn between keeping quiet or phoning the Benefit Fraud helpline...?

What should I do?

I know they say these reports are all confidential, but I would hate this person to narrow it down to me who has reported them because I doubt not many, if anyone else knows such details.

What happens once a phone call is made please?

Does it take long for their investigations to start?

What are their investigations?

What would be the outcome?

Will they be in serious trouble?

I feel mean even thinking about making the call, but it just greaves me to know that they are getting away with it.

Please help!

Thank you.

[Answerprancer]

...for "Finance Specialist" read w@nker (damn! I hate censorship!)

[memoblock]

Thanks Answerprancer, but I could never bring myself to confess to them what I've done. Deep down I wish I could, just so I could at least put them in the picture and be prepared for any questions, but I'm too much of a coward to.

Elvis, I too might shop the fella down the road that I only knew in passing of car tax dodging, because like you say we pay, so why shouldn't he? But this is slightly different, it's a friend, someone I know, someone who's been desperately trying to get work.
This job came their way and the opportunity to earn a bit of cash on the side was put before them - I guess it's hard to say no, even though it's wrong, especially when he's eager to earn and the wages alone aren't enough to live on.

[ummmm]

His wife and kids might disagree with that...

[Answerprancer]

Elvis, let me make a prediction - you haven't quite got to where you wanted to be in life, you have 'under-achieved' and are angry about it - sound familiar? ;-)

[memoblock]

Mamyalynne I do hope youre right,
And yes we learn from our experiences and by golly have I learnt from this one!!!!

I feel like a ton of bricks are on my shoulders, I feel any goodness in me has been taken away, I feel the lowest of the low.
I doubt my sleep, if i get any, won't be a restful and peaceful one tonight.

I think todays actions will haunt me for the rest of my days.

I really did not think I would feel like this.
It slowly crept up on me this evening as it dawned on me just what I'd done, asking myself WHY WHY WHY? And before I knew it I was drowned in guilt and such overwhelming regret.... What a sh*t I am.

[ELVIS68]

Answerprancer..explain that for me please?

[ummmm]

I was going to defend you but just thought....pah...Elvis can do it x

[memoblock]

Hey come on, no arguments ok, lets leave it now shall we?

I won't burden you any more with my self inflicted tales of woe, I've been very grateful to have been able to talk with you tonight about it, i needed to off load somewhere, so I thank you for letting me do so, and thank you to you all for offering me your kind words of advice xx

[Answerprancer]

Sorry Memoblock if this seems a bit harsh but you said:
"I feel like a ton of bricks are on my shoulders, I feel any goodness in me has been taken away, I feel the lowest of the low" and "I think todays actions will haunt me for the rest of my days". Those are very strong sentiments.
IMO the only way you are going to set your mind at rest is by confessing to the person concerned and explaining why you did this.
We all fook up every now and then and sometimes we have to face up to it, no matter how scarey the prospect may be - your fears of possible outcomes may be true, but sorry, this is part of the deal.

[memoblock]

It's not harsh Answer, what you're saying is right.
I'd be saying the same too if the shoe was on the other foot...

[Answerprancer]

Elvis. Explain what?
"you are a cowardly, bitter, resentful (and probably lonely) w@nker"
or
"you haven't quite got to where you wanted to be in life, you have 'under-achieved' and are angry about it"?

[ELVIS68]

Answerprancer..for your info, I have got to where I want to be in life, the said person with the out of date tax discs happened to be on the sex offenders register and one of his cars had a dodgy number plate as well.

Under acheived and angry?..No...Parent with a duty, Yes

[memoblock]

OK ..... I will leave it there,

Goodnight all xx

[ummmm]

I don't understand where that's come from. Answerprancer???

[Answerprancer]

Oh I see, the person is on the "SOR" therefore ANYTHING GOES eh?
w-t-f do you know about his/her crime and how its being dealt with?
Would you report an out-of-date taxdisc if their house bore a plaque saying "Paediatrician"?
"Parent with a duty" my @rse - this is just amateur mob-rule mentality in action IMO.
BTW I said "bitter, resentful (and probably lonely)" not "angry" - there's a subtle difference.

[ELVIS68]

I know that this person has been to court and been charged for downloading indecent images of children, he didn`t go to jail but was placed on the SOR...he had 2 cars both untaxed..so I reported them..problem with that?

That was 3 years ago...1 year ago he had another car which was 6 months out of date and I reported that...What`s your problem Answerprancer?

[Answerprancer]

Yes I do have a problem with that, his misdemeanors have been dealt with through the leagl system - if his activities presented a threat to your (or any other) children's safety, that will have been dealt with and is being observed. This is a totally separate issue from his car tax situation and it's not for you or anyone else to judge based on what you think you know. My "problem" is lynchmob mentality being adopted by biased individuals - you look like one of them. Sorry if I've got you wrong.

[bobzillauk]

If I am rightly to believe, you can officially claim benefits housing and income support for upto 4 weeks once you have started to work, under their back to work scheme, and will also give you a loan to buy any work clothes etc.

But you will not need to grass them up, as they will get caught out if the company is paying tax and national insurance for them.

[ummmm]

Answerprancer....It is illegal not to have a valid tax disc. No tax disc...no insurance maybe?

What if the handbrake failed and the car headed down a hill and hit another car...or a child?

[Answerprancer]

Ummmm - I'm guessing you're not a driver. An invalid taxdisc is no indication of a car's roadworthiness/safety, that's covered by the MOT.