benefit cheats

[shadrack]

how is it that 90% people claiming incapacity benefits are fitter and wealthier than me??ive got 9familys alone in my street doing it,it makes you wonder how many more there are!!!!!!!

[Ouisch]

A story to share with you - my friend used to work in the disability benefits department at Chrysler (one of the Big 3 automakers).  She used to get the most ridiculous/hilarious phone calls from "disabled" autoworkers collecting benefits; one of the best was a man who called her to complain that his check was late.  She explained that there'd been a computer problem, and the checks were mailed two days late, but he'd probably receive it Monday.  "Monday's too late!" he shouted.  "I'm going away waterskiing this weekend and I need that money!"  This from a man with a debilitating back injury.

[Joanne-G]

It is because there are scum out there who are willing to risk going to court and having rediculously low sentences passed on them for pretending to be poor.
I recently saw in my local freebie newspaper, a bloke who had conned his local authority out of �18 thousand and has now received 180 hours of comunity service for his "crime"

Where is the REAL justice????

[Mattk]

im with the poster ! i used to live on an estate of approx 9 households also and there were 2 families that actually worked rather than sponged and strangely enough we've both moved on !

the most annoying thing ? they all drove cars newer than mine and had houses better decorated.one particular family were pretty much illiterate and the dad was actually signed off sick from signing on !!!!!! there idea of a family holiday was to have their kids taken into care once a year.

you can see why neighbourhoods go downhill and rarely the other way as it is far easier to lower your standards than to raise them.

[ianess]

What do you mean by "doing it" and what makes you qualified to pass judgement without being in posession of the facts? Where do you get the figure of 90%?

Speaking personally, I worked non-stop for 40 years until my health suddenly and shockingly fell apart.  I've now been on Incapacity Benefit for nearly 4 years and it's embarrassing because to look at me I appear totally "normal" but a bit overweight.  If it wasn't for my wife working we would probably have had to give up all that we've worked for throughout our married life.  Would the thought of that make you any happier?
It's just too easy to criticise......remember it could happen to you.  Not everyone is a Benefit fraudster. 

OK........rant over. 

[darkstar]

No we should not pay people who are not sick incapacity benefit. That the reason the invesigate them.  But did you know that there is about the same money not claimed as is claimed by fraud but they don't  invesigate them to well

[Grunty]

There will always be people who cheat us unless we lose some of our liberties.  It is a question of balance.

If you use unsubstantiated figures (90%), people will lose interest in what you say.

Of those cheats that you have known, how many have you reported?

[darkstar]

Before we start reporting anyone remember  the saying (he who is without sin)How many of us have been offered a job cheaper for cash (no VAT) IS THAT NOT CHEATING

[Oneeyedvic]

darkstar - of course you should report them. I certainly did when I found out a cousin who was an asylum seeker was working.

There are degrees of cheating, just as there are degrees of any criminal act. Just because you once speeded at 92 mph, does that mean you should not report someone who commited rape? Of course you would.

Asking for a discount for paying cash (implying no VAT), may save (cost the tax payer) aound �100 (based on if you want someone to do work for over �600.00 you will probably want a receipt). A benefit dodger will cost more than that per week!

[BUTTERBAN]

they have it made, no woneder they wont go out to work when they can sit on there arses doing nakc all and rake in all the benifits, hell i would do the same i i had the bottle to do it .
lazy swines that just sponge of the government.
do my head in

[pixi]

hi shadrack, although mr pixi and myself both work, on the street where I live I would estimate about 80 - 90% of people are claiming fraudulently.  Either working on the side and claiming benefits, claiming single parent benefits but living with a partner, or claiming sickness benefit when there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.  I haven't overestimated the  figures,  I grew up around the people who are doing it and they dont particularly keep it quiet either, yet none of them are ever investigated

[Grunty]

Butterban - I aagree with you, but it is not the government that they are sponging off - it is you and me.  The government has only the money that it takes from us.

[jogger]

no wonder the country got no money.We only have 10% working the rest are claiming benefit

[Narolines]

For what it's worth, some years ago I had some medical problems that resulted in my being on quite a high dose of anti-depressants and I was quite unable to work, despite being perfectly physically fit and able.  I did claim invalidity benefit for a period, and I am sure some people thought I was "sponging of (sic) the government"; I did not care to discuss my emotional difficulties with the world at large, and am not keen on doing so now, so I suppose I can see why some people might have thought that. As soon as my doctor felt I was sufficiently recovered to come off the drugs I notified the DHSS and have claimed nothing since. I have had several part-time and short-term jobs since then, and am currently self-employed in the creative arts. I have never claimed a penny that was not due to me, and I pay all my taxes and NI contributions.  That's not to say there aren't benefit cheats - they deserve to be exposed and have the book thrown at them - but you can't always judge by outward appearances.

[Bob A Job]

This attitude to work and benefits is one of the reasons i left the UK.

one day i overheard the conversation 'I have a rite to claim woteva benefits i want cos boaf my parents were born in England, dem #%#ing imigrants are the ones who should be paying my #%#ing taxes'

I dont regret leaving the (Y)UK one bit.