Originally Posted by Ruth Mills

Again, a very good point about the benefits system being biased against families! If kids grow up better with two parents, then why does the benefits system penalise families with two parents like that???

Poverty isn't a crime, but the way the government runs things, it might as well be!

Originally Posted by pink sparkles

Yes it does really seem to promote single parent families. Her bf is by no means on a good wage, i mean under 1k a month but because of his wage they were expected to fully support themselves. How are you supposed to pay rent council tax bills and support 3 people on under 1k a month is beyond me. At least now they dont have to worry about rent or c tax but they by no means live a luxurious life. Im sure many families have done this but I think if they are doing it because its the only way they can survive then i would never report them. its the ones whos partners earn a really good wage but claim every benefit going as a "single parent" and can afford cars new tvs etc etc etc. thats wrong but situations like my friends where they just need the benefit to cover some bills so they can pay off debt and the bills each month with little money to spare but at least they wont be in debt - those are the situations that i would turn a blind eye to because in my view that is the governments doing

Originally Posted by pink sparkles

I always never know what to say when this topic comes up.

My best friend in the world had a little boy 18 months ago, she was kicked out by her mum for it and couldnt move in with her bfs family as they had a tiny house he didnt even have his own room. She went to the council who put her in a disgusting and dangerous hostel and she remained there until she had the baby, eventually they got a private rented flat together because she didnt feel safe there with the baby. They were ok for a couple of months but really struggled and ended up taking out credit cards just to buy shopping. they sold their car, furnished their house with freebies and could literally pay the bills each month and nothing else. Anyway they ran up so much debt they couldnt afford to live and they told the council bf had moved out so now she gets hb to cover some of her rent and council tax benefit.

Now before this happend to her I would say Id shop someone in for doing it - HOWEVER, the state is more willing to help her if she is another single mum. As a family unit they got no help whatsoever and couldnt survive. Even now they pay their bills and they pay off their debts and live a little better than before but they still go without and struggle. In their situation I would never report them.

TBH in my view, the government should give more benefits to families, they force people into these situations just to keep their heads above water. If they gave family units benefits for being exactly that, a family unit - then I think a lot of benefit fraud would stop becuase people would declare who actually lives and contributes to their household.

I always wonder though how do people know that they are comitting fraud in the first place? She always panics everytime the phone rings or someone knocks at the door and myself his parents and her parents are the only ones who know what theyre doing. How do people find out that their next door neighbour or whoever is not meant to have their partner there or that they shouldnt be working? Where I live I see people come and go everyday but I dont know their personal living situations to know if benefit fraud is taking place?

Originally Posted by Ruth Mills

Yep, can't agree more there! And what also sucks is that people in that situation often can't get "cheap" credit either - they're forced to go to doorstep lenders and whatnot, who charge sky-high rates of interest, thus perpetuating the situation even longer! I'd prefer it that the Government paid more benefits if it put an end to parasitic lending to vulnerable people at astronomical interest rates! Actually, it would make a lot of sense if the Government passed legislation that "capped" the maximum interest rate that anyone could charge, and put those "legal loan sharks" out of business!

Originally Posted by Emmaejc23

That just reminds me of a flyer which I received the other day offering guranteed unsecured loans to anybody regardless of credit history or financial situation. The APR rate was 184%! My first reaction was 'who in their right mind would consider taking such a loan?' but upon reflection I suppose that could have been me a few years ago when I was up to my eyeballs in debt and constantly hiding from the bailiffs - i would definately have considered it anyway. These companies prey on people who are absolutely desperate and this practice should be illegal imo.

Originally Posted by Lady_Nightshade

Now I have an opposite experience. My mom was a single mother after my 'father' walked out (I say father I mean biological entity who gave me part of my genes he was no real father) and she got no real help from the government, I think she was allocated £40 for my brother and £20 for me, and got half her rent paid and that was all.
The only reason we ate is because five days out of seven we would go to my nans (moms mom) for lunch and dinner.
My mother would save like crazy just to afford us new clothes and my great grandma would buy us shoes, and 99% the time I wore my brothers cast offs (he was older)
My 'father' paid nothing towards us, the state didnt help us. All I can say in my case is Thank God we had grandparents. They couldnt afford much either but between them and my mom we didnt starve. We never (as a family) resorted to sponging the benefit system though. Never ever! And I dont see why people should!

Originally Posted by leonnib

what if there is no grandparents. some people dont even have that.. my son has has no contact with his grandparents on my side ( my parents) . and my hubby mum (no contact with this dad) dont live here.

so i know it is very hard in those cirumstances as there isnt any other source of help so i woudnt see that as sponging.

Originally Posted by Lady_Nightshade

Thats why in my first post I said I wouldnt report certain peoples.. only if they were doing it for selfish/lazy reasons.
I have a friend, who has got 2year old twins and a husband who was made unemployed recently, she also has MS. IF she were to ever do it (Im not saying she does) I certainly wouldnt report her.

BUT the people who pop kids out for the benefits they can get.. Hell yeh.

Originally Posted by leonnib

what i hate is when people have like 8 children and say i couldnt earn that if worked etc. so they will stay on benefits for ever. i dont know anyone personally who does it but there benefit is like an income.

and they earn more then i have ever earned every month
yep that is definetely scrounging


but i do know an oap who gets very little every week and does mini cabbing to top up. yes its wrong but i can see why and feel sorry for him

Originally Posted by pink sparkles

I always never know what to say when this topic comes up.

My best friend in the world had a little boy 18 months ago, she was kicked out by her mum for it and couldnt move in with her bfs family as they had a tiny house he didnt even have his own room. She went to the council who put her in a disgusting and dangerous hostel and she remained there until she had the baby, eventually they got a private rented flat together because she didnt feel safe there with the baby. They were ok for a couple of months but really struggled and ended up taking out credit cards just to buy shopping. they sold their car, furnished their house with freebies and could literally pay the bills each month and nothing else. Anyway they ran up so much debt they couldnt afford to live and they told the council bf had moved out so now she gets hb to cover some of her rent and council tax benefit.

Now before this happend to her I would say Id shop someone in for doing it - HOWEVER, the state is more willing to help her if she is another single mum. As a family unit they got no help whatsoever and couldnt survive. Even now they pay their bills and they pay off their debts and live a little better than before but they still go without and struggle. In their situation I would never report them.

TBH in my view, the government should give more benefits to families, they force people into these situations just to keep their heads above water. If they gave family units benefits for being exactly that, a family unit - then I think a lot of benefit fraud would stop becuase people would declare who actually lives and contributes to their household.

I always wonder though how do people know that they are comitting fraud in the first place? She always panics everytime the phone rings or someone knocks at the door and myself his parents and her parents are the only ones who know what theyre doing. How do people find out that their next door neighbour or whoever is not meant to have their partner there or that they shouldnt be working? Where I live I see people come and go everyday but I dont know their personal living situations to know if benefit fraud is taking place?

Originally Posted by number1kitty

Good post!

They find out by the credit accounts linked to that address, if BF gets post there etc. Even as simple as his work having that address. He will be allowed to stay no more than 3 nights a week and they must never leave anything there not even a toothbrush!

They stalk you with CCTV vans and all sorts there dreadful for it!

Interesting to find out how they do it!

At the end of the day the public should get to decide what happens to these people as its us that pays the money. If someones taking the mick we get it all back and if someones only doing it to feed their kids to save them stealing if they honestly struggle getting work, then turn a blind eye.

Obviously its going to wind people up when your neighbour works 50 hour weeks, never sees there kids and has nothing to show for it, but you sit on benefits wearing designer gear and have 50" plasmas in every room, err hello, some people wonder why they get grassed up!

Totally agree with this point

And then you get some MPs wondering why the british public are giving their votes to the likes of the BNP and UKIP!!

Thing is every one knows the system is not fair. Even us smaller business's struggle because the government only care about the larger corporations. You only have to look over the last few months. The government bails the banks out but lets thousands lose their home, leaving thousands of empty properties that have been repossesed whilst these people fight for social housing, which there is little of now because of the right to buy scheme and the influx of immigrants. And then that leads on to the fact european workers can claim benefits for kids that do not live in the UK.

Finally someone has had the guts to mention the problems faced with allowing an influx of immigrants that was never controlled, the government have no clue as to how many there are in the country! If they can police us going out of the country why could they not have policed the amount coming into the country and have some kind of cut off point. Genuine cases such as those fleeing and seeking asylum I feel for but those just taking all the jobs making it impossible for everyone else to be employed, its taking the mick!! and now we are in a recession and people cannot get a job, years they are/have been on the dole looking for work. Its not right.

The whole system is corrupt and has not worked for a very long time.

Totally agree!