my friend has told me that she is in trouble because they have found out she is living with her partner but claiming housing and council tax benefit and claiming that she was single.
Has this happened to anyone else, what happened and what should my friend expect?
2007-12-27 05:31:22 · 20 answers · asked by Rebz 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Government
I hope she has to pay back every penny. My partner and I struggle like hell - they refuse to pay us anything because he is working for 30 hours a week at minimum wage (he is expected to keep me as well as our son out of that!!). If I pretended to be a single mum I'd get the Full Monty as far as benefits are concerned, but I'm too honest.
People like your friend deserve all they get.
2007-12-29 00:12:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
She can expect an IUC normally and it depends on the individual council's policies all are different but if it is a large overpayment (ie/ over about £1000 and the council can prove it then she could face prosecution and she will have to repay the overpayment)... an overpayment by the way is the amount of benefit she was paid by the council while her partner was living with her that she should not of been paid due to the fact that he was working ... they will look at his wages for the period in question and calculate the true amount of benefit (if any ) she should have received... she may be offered an "Administration Penalty" or Adpen, so she will be asked to repay the overpayment but a further amount will be added on top of this ...
She can negotiate with the council to repay the overpayment at smaller amounts over a period of time if she cannot afford it all in one go ... if she is still entitled to some benefit after her partner's wages have been added to her claim then the council will do a "clawback" and remove so much from her on going benefit each week to repay the overpayment.
2007-12-27 07:34:40 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depending on how long it`s been going on for and how much has been claimed in benefits, your friend could be facing a hefty fine, paying back all the benefits received, etc but the worst case scenario is a prison sentence. This could range from 3 months to 12 months depending on the circumstances.
2007-12-27 05:38:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I know OF someone who went to prison for it. She was really taking the mickey and was having a house built whilst claiming benefit for years.
She got 9 months and probably did half that.
Hard working taxpayers don`t take kindly to people who do this because they end up earning more than they do!
She was cheating us, so i`m afraid she will get little sympathy.
2007-12-27 11:29:33 · answer #4 · answered by Sir Bobby`s Hairdresser 6 · 2⤊ 2⤋
not me personally but it did happen to a friend, several years ago.
she was visited out-of-the-blue by a social security official, her benefit book was confiscated, her housing/council-tax benefit halted, free-school meals stopped & made to repay in full all the funds.
she wasn't taken to court as she agreed to the re-payment terms, so guess whether your friend is prosecuted, is down to the benefit workers discretion & whether they want to use her as an example to deter others.
she could, COULD end up with a criminal record.
remind her to be as honest as possible in all interviews admit her error & offer to repay the stolen funds before they ask.
as it might go in her favour.
2007-12-27 05:43:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
sorry but i am one of them that will deal with you hopefully.
you will pay all the money back. we will have photographic or other evidence of his comings and goings, and we will take it to court with stacks of evidence, we would not approach the issue if the evidence would not stick. prison could be on the cards, but only taking into consideration the amount and if you can and will pay it back if not it will be custodial, and the correct record details are fraud. a very serious mark on your records that will prevent you working in any field of honesty. sorry you did ask. here is the answer, and on another note, they are adult and knew what they were doing.be very very honest now they are aware do not under estimate what they know. one lie could ensure court and or prison
2007-12-27 05:44:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Lie detectors have 2 flaws: the aptitude liar, and the reader of the detector. the guy attached can cover and/or stay far off from metrics if he/she is familiar with what's being examined. Plus, in the event that they convince themselves that they weren't cheating, then you definitely does no longer catch them. The tester additionally has plenty lattitude in examining the metrics.
2016-11-25 19:52:03 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yet it's okay for the rich to claim child benefit?
2007-12-29 01:42:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It can lead to prison. I have worked as a literacy and numeracy tutor in partnership with the Probation Service and I regularly had people whose crime was benefit related, such as this.
2007-12-27 05:40:26 · answer #9 · answered by resignedtolife 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They will recoup the benefits that she has been overpaid and reassess her rent etc to include his earnings.
Alas she probably won`t go to court or receive any sentence even though she has defrauded the system and taken funds that are meant for the true needy.
2007-12-27 05:37:16 · answer #10 · answered by firebobby 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋