Benefit Cheat

[nailit]

Would you report a benefit cheat?
More importantly, how would you define a benefit cheat?
Not as simple as it sounds, I dont think.
Think we all might agree that if someone was working full time and claiming job seekers allowence, then that is unlawful.
But what about someone who is unemployed but does a bit of cash in hand occasional work? (if you were actually working then it might be called a 'foreigner')
What about someone who is claiming benefits but makes a couple of hundred by doing a car boot sale? Should that be declared? Is he/she a benefit cheat?
Whats the difference between trying to get by (and maybe having the occasional luxury like a new set of clothes) and actually been a benefit cheat?

[ummmm]

Methyl....my local paper is full of them recently. I don't know if it's more prevalent nowadays or if they just haven't got much other news.

[EDDIE51]

The government would do far better to tackle the huge companies that are using every trick in the book to underpay their tax rather than chasing benefit cheats. Benefit cheats may get away with a few thousand £ at most, the companies are cheating the taxpayer out of tens / hundreds of million £s.

[Psybbo]

Yes Eddie and those tax avoidance schemes for those who can afford accountants

[whirlyhurly]

No, I would not report a benefit cheat, I am not a "grass"

[Slapshot]

Have done before, would do again... no compunction about that

[Psybbo]

Judge not and ye shall not be judged
or something like that, I couldn't report somebody unless the evidence was very clear

[Slapshot]

yeah, that's very true Psybbo, while I've done it before it was someone truly taking the p!$$, you know, the three holidays a year, partys every weekend all sorts of stuff, they were rubbing everyones nose in it, I wasn't the only one of a group to report. They were bringing in a lot more than me, claiming benefiot was wrong

EVERYBODY would like a little more and whatever I make selling photies is declared to the tax man cos I really dont fancy losing my job!!

Everyone's situation is different and when you make a judgement on this you do so in full knowledge of the evidence and what the outcomes will be, i made sure I did that.

[Mamyalynne]

Exactly as I said at the start,you knew the whole picture and knew it to be excessive then made your choice.

[janbee]

I know of several people who claim benefits because they are "too ill" to work, yet go out and work for cash I hand an never declare it. I've reported somebody but was told that the dept. was soooo busy and overstretched that they probably wouldn't get around to investigating it. That was 2 years ago and the person is still "too ill" to work but still working for cash in hand and has just returned from his second cruise of the year.

[mikey4444]

Nailit...you are quite right at 21:04. But when I see people that have been "on the dole" for years, and a white Transit van picks them up at 07:30 most mornings in the week, I think that is going too far. Its happens quite a lot of the estate where I live. If there is work available, then people shouldn't be scrounging on the State. There is obviously work and jobs to be had, otherwise we wouldn't have foreigners coming here to earn a living.

But that doesn't mean that I am unsympathetic to people on low incomes and I support a move to a Living Wage, rather than a Minimum Wage.

[THECORBYLOON]

If folk report their suspicions, as long as there is enough information, an investigation will be made. If the suspicions are not proven, benefit remains unaffected.