Families where no one has ever worked, nor wanted to, and claim all the benefits they can.

Well, that was a bit of a stooshie wasn't it?
A dormant thread is resurrected so that somebody who had flounced off a few weeks ago could swoop in on a flying visit like the Sweeney, go for the jugular and get 2 out of her first three posts deleted !
Is this a record??

What was all that about?
note, NOT an "unpleasant expression".

I think that benefit fraud hurts most the people who work ,living cheek by jowl with those who ,as described by Gillybob and an earlier poster are on benefit fraud and who look like losers because they have a work ethic.
I don't know anyone who might be on benefit fraud but I have had some described to me by people whose neighbours are in their opinion and who feel angry that if they reported them their life would be or could be made hell. I don't think it's spite . I think if you are keeping your head above water and the people over the road boast that they don't work and make their way to the pub daily, etc etc it must rankle dreadfully.

I think perhaps many of us know people like this but I can't see what is to be gained by reporting them, other than maybe a little self satisfaction.

Around where my DS, DDiL and DGC live (not for much longer yipee), they are one of only a handful of families who work. It used to really get my DS mad to think that him and his partner work shifts, ferry the children around grandparents and childcare, pay in full for school meals, trips, milk money etc. when most of the rest of the estate/school are probably laughing at them. Now he prefers to take the attitude that his children have a great work ethic. They don't think that sitting on their backsides it "what you do".

Leave you to ponder.

That Anya, is beyond belief, and I quote. As said, would never have shared a pm from a current member (although as some have changed names several times- one never knows...).

I personally wonder whether that PM was made up just so a certain person could put her own views forward disguised as anothers.

As said, beyond belief, truly

So you take one of the people I know. I have known him for many years.
He is in his late 50s semi homeless, not highly educated, not mobile.
He is on disability for 'depression' he is never going to find a 'proper job' and you can't live on JSA.

That was to DJ

better be careful I don't use up my number of allowed/allocated posts for today

Just read the link you thought I was talking about.

Wrong!

That wasn't my point at all. How weird!

There was one infamous case which was certainly not gossip.

I understand exactly the point you're making NanaandGrampy because I knew families like that. I did feel I ought to have reported them, but something always holds you back from doing that.

The point is simply though, that these families do exist, and you do not need to justify why you didn't report them. You should not feel under attack on this thread for stating your experience nor your point of view.

Of course not NanaandGrampy - all I know about this situation is gossip as far as I am concerned.

I believe anything I know is hearsay and not usable in a court of law.

And as I'm not going to report them anyway, for the reasons Ive stated - there's no real point in going there. You may be right - would you like to report me * Gracesgran *

If you asked any of the Grandparents estranged from their children or grandchildren if they would risk it in this scenario I'm pretty sure what they would all say.

What exactly would you report them for NanaandGrampy? If you have proof of fraud I believe (although I am not a lawyer) that you would be breaking the law if you are withholding that information.

Actually DurhamJen I said exactly why I haven't reported them in my original post. That one boy who works hard - is my SiL . If I reported them and it came out ( as things have a habit of doing) it would damage our relationship irreparably.

She is is his Mum after all, and his brothers. He loves them . And although I think he does feel its wrong - they're his family.

I am not about to jeopardise a good relationship with my DD, him and my grandsons for that family.

What else can I do to prove their claims are fraudulent? And I have no need of proving it to you one way or another. I posted because I know - from their own mouths- that they are milking the system . That's good enough for me.

If you feel so strongly about it, why haven't you done it, nanaandgrampy?
There's a government website so you can.
Then presumably you will let us know if you were in the 15% of fraudulent claims proved correct.

I agree with Gracesgran, although I would be careful if I were her, in case she gets labelled as one of my sycophants. I didn't think I was that important.

Every time anyone on here has said they know of a family committing fraud, I have said, tell the authorities.

Has anyone done it?
No, because you prefer to complain about them rather than do anything.
You prefer not to find out the truth, that that family you complain about is doing nothing fraudulent.
If anyone can prove me wrong, I am surte you will do on this one.

By the way, Gracesgran, the reason I brought this thread back into the light was precisely because of the new statistics on benefit fraud.
However, some people would rather laugh at the idea than revise their previous opinions of skivers.

... to answer the original OP, I have zero interest in other folks' finances. Life's tough, you know - it's getting tougher. I highly doubt that people on benefits are living the life of Riley ...

As the original OP - written last October I see, I am really surprised to see this still running as, at the time, I got wrapped over the knuckles by GN for this being a "contentious" post. The title was intended to sum up what other posters often say - with which I didn't agree. Like you lynnie1 I have no interest in others finance and could not see how people "know" the real situation of other families; they can only act like those reporting to the Stasi in East Germany and in most cases report anything for the sake of making mischief - often against an ex partner apparently.

It now appears from Jen's linked article that in the vast majority of cases they don't know. Although some money was recovered I just wonder what it costs to follow the 85% of false claims. To me it just makes us a nastier society because we are asked for this sort of reporting. Obviously if you have proof of a fraud you should let the authorities know but we have seen all to often on here and other forums that people believe their opinions to be facts and surely we do not want the sort of society where this sort of illiteracy is used against others.

Bit late to this party but in regard to the original question I DO know a family like that - and I know that its factual because they proudly told me so themselves !!

Mum has not worked since 1979 when her first child was born. She has a slight disability which means she limps ( but that does not stop her walking to the pub 4 nights a week and dancing in high heels - I may even have video of that one !)

Dad ( who passed away 5 years ago) gave up work in 1976 because - and I quote- he didn't really like it .

Mum was granted some sort of mobility benefit back in the day which she has continued to claim ( and as she is over 60 now will probably not be challenged on) . Dad became her carer.

Of their 3 boys , one has always had a job, has a family, bought his own home ( much to his parents derision - after all he could have waited for a Council house like them !)

One is mostly unemployed - his last job was in the pound shop where he got sacked for lack of customer communication skills??? The other now has a child and a girlfriend - who also doesn't work and claims all the benefits of a single parent despite now having a working partner who lives with her.

Mum now lives in a 4 bedroomed council house with just the one child , but has said shes done a lot to the property( not sure what) and wouldn't move even when shes living there alone.

The whole family, bar the one son believes the country 'owes' them the benefits they get. They see nothing wrong in it at all. They have all the latest mod cons, gadgets etc, went on 2 trips to Florida in the last 3 years before the Dad died. Even , when he died they moaned that they thought the government should pay all the funeral costs because they are on benefits.

Would I report them ??

In a heartbeat - I have more than enough current information to do so except that one son is now related to me by marriage and it would hurt him ( and our relationship) immensely if I did that , so I bite my tongue.

Why would I do it?

Because I worked all my life as did my husband and my brothers, sisters, parents and children to fuel the system they are milking . Not because they're disabled , ill or can't work, but because they WON'T work. These are the people who need to be targeted but who always seem to fall through the net.

Sorry for the long post but its something I feel strongly about.

D'you know DJ it's not up to you and your sycophants to say who can and can't post. I personally wonder whether that PM was made up just so a certain person could put her own views forward disguised as anothers.

Blimey is there such a thing as ' Arrogance Sunday' ?

I do apologise , pressed too soon, what I meant to say, was, I would absolutely not report anyone , that would be appalling

I have absolutely no idea what is going on here... However, to answer the original OP, I have zero interest in other folks' finances. Life's tough, you know - it's getting tougher. I highly doubt that people on benefits are living the life of Riley and no, I absolutely eou

www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/27/false-benefit-fraud-allegations

Anyway, this is the link that Anya thought was not worth talking about.
If anyone actually reads the op, you will see that it is exactly what we should be talking about.

If Anya doesn't think it's important, perhaps she should stay off the thread.

Good point, Pogs, about the pm being sent to her as someone who would agree with her nasty views!

Makes me angry that being under educated should be thought of as a reason not to use Gransnet. That pm person should be grateful they were educated not snobbish about it!

Good on whoever XY Z is or was your PM mentioned for upsetting such a pompous ass as the person who sent you that PM.

I would have been embarrassed to print that PM to be honest as he/she obviously felt comfortable sending it to you in the first place, obviously because he/she thought you shared similar views as it was certainly not a PM any normal poster would send completely out of the blue.

Arrogant or narcissistic , take your pick. Then again don't choose it's nothing more than a post that wants to gain attention and cause division. Bugger I fell for it.