Benefits cheats, do you know one?

Not now, but there used to be a neighbour of my in-laws who often boasted of 'gaming the system'. Never worked a day in his life, claimed to be disabled and unable to walk, yet it didn't stop his daily trips to the local pub or bookie. I know for a fact he was reported by more than one person, but in his case, it seemed to make no difference at all.

Yes I did know someone who fraudulently claimed benefits and I reported them, successfully. If I came across a similar situation again I wouldn’t hesitate to.

Off the top of my head 4.

Petra

4 is shocking!

I once caught a ferry over to the Holland, ther was a middle aged couple struggling with sticks and baggage so myself and husband helped them.

That evening they were practically pirouetting around the dance floor!

Yes a couple who lived in the next close but moved away and another couple with 2 children who lived next door. They were not married and she pretended he didn't live there. I knew this because l worked for the LA at the time.
No I didn't report either of them.

In a job I met several people clearly exaggerating symptoms to try to get benefits.
I didn’t report them, but I queried their stories and warned them of not being honest in their applications

There are also thousands of people who could claim benefits but don't, either because they have been wrongly advised, don't know how to or don't want to.

I gather applying for pension credit is a difficult process and simply being eligible is not enough, you have to go to some lengths to prove it.

Yes, I understand the pension credit application is very long and I expect that puts off a lot of people who are desperately hard up and have nobody to help them. That is really appalling and the process should be made easier.

I have no time for those who are dishonest and fiddle the benefits system. It’s fraud and theft. I would like to see a big crackdown to weed them out. That would be good use of taxpayers’ money.

As I was struggling , my manager suggested I get a sick note for a couple of months , which would take me up to retirement
I mulled it over till she added that I could stay on it at full salary for six months !
I’d never been on sick leave , but the very thought of it made me see red , I wrote my resignation letter that night
Everyone thought I was daft , but I knew I would never be fit to go back to full time work
Not everyone is work shy , but seemingly everyone knows somebody on benefits , I don’t

Someone who is able to go to the pub or the bookies mayhave a long term disability.
Seems in the case stated he did as no action was taken when reported.
Is he expected to cower away inside his flat forever in order to justify his status ??

If someone can go to the pub and the bookie why can’t they go to work?

Aggie
I don't understand.
Wouldn't it have been advantageous to do as your manager suggested.
It would have helped your occupational pension contributions as well as receiving full salary until you could retire.
What was your objection?

welbeck

Someone who is able to go to the pub or the bookies mayhave a long term disability.
Seems in the case stated he did as no action was taken when reported.
Is he expected to cower away inside his flat forever in order to justify his status ??

That was just one example of his lies. He used to boast quite openly of how he conned the system and tell others how to do the same. I'm well aware of how not all disabilities are visible, but in this case, believe me, there was very little wrong with this man. He knew the system inside out and knew exactly how to work it to his advantage.

It was the suggestion I stay on “ the sick “ for months after my retirement date , I was probably too sensitive , I didn’t feel poorly enough anyway , and I could have worked on for a couple of months

Another scam! Barclaycard did not send a statement. As I pay by direct debit I got a text saying they would take more than I owed. Called them and they will send another.

I know a whole family and the cheating is now is now apparent in the grandchildren Sub-letting the council property, not living together 'because you get more points that way', feigning illness to avoid school and building a sickness profile to avoid work, threatening neighbours who see the nefarious activities, likewise shopkeepers when pilfering takes place.
Yet in each generation there is at least one child who refuses to join in and strikes out independently and lives by their own honest efforts.

I wouldn’t have any idea whether someone is on benefits or not, nor would I be interested, or have any way of knowing enough about their circumstances to arouse suspicions anyway.

I suppose cheaters will always game any system ‘if they can’. Maybe we just need more robust safeguards (aka ‘face to face’ checks) in place? Actually in the long term their employment costs would be self financed by the cheats they expose.

I'm not aware that anyone I know is a benefit cheat and if I did I would report them. Having looked at the maximum rates paid it would sustain a pretty poor lifestyle unless the cheating included working for cash in hand. We never pay anyone who works for us in cash, we need an invoice and pay by bacs. We employ two people on a regular weekly basis, a cleaner and a gardener, both get paid by bacs and I pay them holiday and sick pay. Too many people moan about benefit cheats but don't report them and pay cash if it saves them money. If you do, you are enabling people to cheat the system. I feel sad for anyone having to manage on state benefits because of disability, genuine unemployment or the need to care for a loved one, the rates are appalling and if we got rid of the benefit cheats perhaps we could afford to look after the vulnerable members of our society better than we do.

It can happen in a sort of opposite way. People sometimes boast about gaming the system because they think it makes them look clever, when actually they are perfectly law abiding.

Oh yes! The Idiot to avoid paying maintenance for his children.

FGT
Once upon a time they did check. When you applied for housing benefit someone would come to view the room/ property.
Then this thing called ^cuts* came along. False economy like many other cost cutting ideas.

I know someone who drinks and goes to the bookies; he is an addict to both, as well as cannabis.
He gets a full array of benefits and help, and begs too.

That's alongside his diagnosed bipolar, and, I would say, a learning disability.

He has broken his pelvis and both legs, thinking he was given the ability to fly by god (quite common in bipolar)

So, who would like to employ him?

Anybody here?

foxie48

I'm not aware that anyone I know is a benefit cheat and if I did I would report them. Having looked at the maximum rates paid it would sustain a pretty poor lifestyle unless the cheating included working for cash in hand. We never pay anyone who works for us in cash, we need an invoice and pay by bacs. We employ two people on a regular weekly basis, a cleaner and a gardener, both get paid by bacs and I pay them holiday and sick pay. Too many people moan about benefit cheats but don't report them and pay cash if it saves them money. If you do, you are enabling people to cheat the system. I feel sad for anyone having to manage on state benefits because of disability, genuine unemployment or the need to care for a loved one, the rates are appalling and if we got rid of the benefit cheats perhaps we could afford to look after the vulnerable members of our society better than we do.

The whole point of being a benefits cheat is someone with an income stream but still claiming.

Benefits should be a safety net not a lifestyle option.