I don't want to keep it under the mattress!

[johnizere]

where can I bank money where the government can't get their hands on it? ie to avoid getting caught in the over the limit trap for claiming benefits etc....someone told me to bank in Ireland (I live in Wales), and that makes it untraceable for blair and co. I only half believe this is true, or maybe I'm half naive as well! any suggestions?

[Ethel]

You are robbing off me as a pensioner paying income tax and keeping you on benefits.

Get a job or live off your �16000 + for a while.

[kazza12345]

what you are planning to commit is benefit fraud .. and my tax on my savings goes to pay some of that! so sod off!

[dzug]

Money in a bank is NEVER untraceable to those with sufficient motivation to find it.

[crete]

ill keep it safe for you

[WendyS]

It really gripes me to read posts like yours. Having saved all my life to try and remain independent of the State, why should we encourage people like you to cheat the system? Don't you have any self-respect? You'd be the first person to complain if somebody tried to defaud you. Think yourself fortunate that you've got some savings and are not really one of the destitute, which is who the Benefits System is really aimed at.

Yes, put your money under the mattress. I hope all the moths eat it !

[johnizere]

ethel, kazza, and wendy..read this.
1 I am in full employment
2 I pay tax at 40 per cent.
3 I am about to be made redundant, as my company is winding up and moving to India.
4 I am 57 years of age and uncertain of the future
5 any questions?

[crete]

i hope things go well for you good luck

[crete]

me again hope it wont stop you coming on to the site again your age group are important hope you have a sense of humour

[lady_p_gold]

That is unfortunate, but it still does not justify fraud.

[johnizere]

thanks crete.
for others.....it's not fraud. so every pop star, sportspeople (f1 drivers, tennis stars etc. etc.) and the like, including actors, politicians and anyone else who choses to put their money in offshore accounts and the like are fraudsters??
I have paid my taxes on everything I've ever earned, bought or sold....so what do I owe anybody?

[themas]

If you fail to declare when claiming a means tested benefit the savings you have - whether they are in this country or abroad - and you do it deliberately in order to get the benefit when you know you are not entitled to it IT IS FRAUD. If you do it, I hope you get found out and prosecuted.

[Mrs_Pegasus]

To be totally honest here but certainly not agreeing to your intentions.

If you dont declare the savings and your current bank account is not showing any indication to the money then it is up to you to declare them. Its only after getting a court order could any govt body get their hands legally on the banking system and sniffing out your money.

From past experience, pensioners were the wiley ones as far as overclaiming benefits, on a local level we were told we could not pursue and they were let off the overpayment although their future benefits were stopped.

[wendilla]

It grieves me to think that you and 999,999 others cheat the system. no wonder I got no money you have taken it.

[raymond 42]

Hi johnizere,
i have some sympathy with your situaion,
my brother was in a simlar situation as yuor self,
he to worked hard for 36 years when he was made
redundant, he did not have a great deal of savings,but
it had taken him years to save it, he was forced to use it before he could claim anything.
however the benefits system is abused, by young people
who have no intention of working, they keep having children
to get council houses, pay no rent or council tax,
they dont work because they are better off staying at home.
but you can not blame them completly its the system thats wrong.
ps before anyone says that young people dont do these things i would say open your eyes.

[wendilla]

sorry johnizere I jumped in with 2 feet there didnt read your circumstances but it still does not justify trying to cheat the system.and yes Raymond 42 on the housing system half of the houses in my street are bought by housing associations and they are all full of youngsters with children that don't want to work as they keep having more and not married.

[chimpydoodle]

john,

If you have been working F/T for the past 2 years or so then you will most likely be entitled to Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Contributon based, this is not means tested and any household income (wife's wage, savings, occupational pensions etc) will NOT be taken into account.

However JSA Conts based is only paid for a maximum of 26 weeks and after that your saving etc are taken into account and if you have over 16K then you will not qualify to receive any payments of JSA. Providing you are still actively seeking work then you will continue to receive your National Insurance contributions paid for you. This will make a difference to your State Pension when you reach 65 and it is certainly worth claiming JSA if only for the NI conts especially at your age.

Don't consider "hiding" money from the government, you will almost certainly get found out and its not worth the trouble!

ps - don't put off claimimg JSA once you are made redundant as a break in your NI conts can mean that this tax year doesn't qualify for State Pension purposes. Call your local JC+ on your first day of unemployment.

Good Luck.

[crete]

great advice well done this person is going through a hard time lets be supportive

[raymond 42]

chimmpy,
you seem very knowledgable
, & your advice seems sound.
i feel i must tell you a friend of my wifes was made redundant at 57 years of age,so with just
3 years to retirement she decided to take her
company pension, this was approx �45 per wk,
she went to sign on for jsb, she was told that her �45 pension would be deducted from her
jsb allowance.
all the best ray

[johnizere]

wendill, crete, chimp, ray, thanks. chimp, that was good advice,
and as I've never been in the position of having to claim benefits of any kind in 40 years, I was (still am) worried about the future. I see so much abuse of the system, with so much going for those who least deserve it. I'll probably get a job sweeping streets or something, at least nobody can say I never earned whatever I've got. and ethel, I wish it WAS 16 grand! (nowhere near it by a mile)

[johnizere]

p.s. I did say in my original post that I maybe half naive....make that totally naive.