Reporting A Benefit Cheat

[puternut]

After a great deal of soul searching I am 95% sure I should report a neighbour (& friend) for benfit fraud.

I won't go int ]o the details but I'm really asking if you would do it anonymously or giving the benefits office your name & ddress? I would hope that this would not be revealed to the cheater but feel I would like to know the outcome of their investigations to see if my assumptins are wildly wrong or nearer the truth.

Can any one admit to doing this and the outcome

Many thanks

[puternut]

She has her Pension plus a small pension from her late husbands workplace. As far as I am aware she is financially sound but couldn't buy a Bentley as someone suggested. :)

[anneasquith]

How do you know what benefit she receives, how do you know why she claims, if she is only an acquaintance, and ow often do you see her " walking" ?

[EDDIE51]

Disabled Living Allowance IS a benefit. The rules for getting it are strict but there are 3 levels High Medium and low. To get the higher rate you have to be unable to walk more than 10 yards without help.

[hc4361]

Tricky. As an acquaintance you probably have no idea what she's like when she is not able to be out and about. Some people do put a brave face on things and are too proud to be seen when they are unable to cover up a weakness or disability.

Claimants are told by advisers such as the Citizens' Advice Bureau to always state the situation on their worst days if they have a fluctuating condition when completing the forms.

[hc4361]

That's the higher rate for the mobility component, Eddie. There is also the care component which is not dependent on the ability to walk.

[EDDIE51]

DLA ( Disability Living Allowance) is NOT means tested, you could be a multimillionaire and still get it as long as you meet the disability rules.

[anneasquith]

I believe the criteria is very strict, especially for new claimants

[EDDIE51]

hc4361 Yes I know that my wife gets it, I am her carer.
puternut said ''she claims not to be able to walk, yet gets about easily as much as needed''

[Mamyalynne]

If you are sure of your facts then I'm sure you'll do it.

Hypothetical question


Do you see her at night struggling to sleep through the pain? Do you know what strong opiates she may be on to enable her to walk? Or how many hours she took to simply get dressed?

Yes, I'm making huge assumptions - I hope you aren't.

[EDDIE51]

annaesquith, DLA has ended for new applicants, they have to apply for PIP , Personal Independence Payment. It is a lot harder to get, but pays more.

[woofgang]

Speaking as someone who has dealt with people with genuine disabilities...I don’t think “she can move enough when she needs to” is sufficient for you to report her. I have known quite a few people whose abilities genuinely fluctuated wildly even over the course of a day.

[anneasquith]

I did know about PIP Eddie, wasn't sure if everyone on DLA had transferred.

[EDDIE51]

They have not transferred yet , at the moment it is only for new applicants and those who are due for reassessment.Full transfer will not be complete until 2019.