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Allegation

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MWB | 05:56 Fri 21st Nov 2008 | Society & Culture
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I feel half good but half bad. I just made an allegation about a married couple in my village, (1000 - odd pop) receiving only a social security benefit; neither of them work. But they have just bought a nice, 2nd hand car, just got back from a 3 holiday abroad, are flitting off on planes all over the country, (just a month ago to pick up a dog they bought off some sort of EBay site), & have only today gone to the city to buy a house in a rather upmarket area! They already own a house here & are doing extensive renovations. They also had backpackers paying to stay at their house last few summers, (the house was 2 flats - therefore the renovations.)
Of course they made have received an inheritance or the like, but being a small village someone would have known.
Have I done the right thing?
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Ethel a wee word
When i lived in scotland there was a guy in my street
Hda his own taxi and got carers allowance and mobility car for his wife
he bought his council house
ive since heard that hes sold it now after the 5 year limit and has bought a new build private house in a different area

he s still got hios taxi and still ghetting the allowance for his wife


she still has a stick
ocassionally she uses it



its never cut n dried

as for making undeclared earnings and income is that legal?


glasshouses id say
I know what you mean, Mr. Pickle - but that's unfortunately human nature. Folk like to tittle-tattle, rumours fly around, stories get exaggerated, little fibs become big fibs, and so it goes on ......

If they've got nowt to hide, they may well be pleased that they have been interviewed, or whatever happens, and proved innocent. A sort of "one in the eye" for folk who suspected them.

Do you know where I'm coming from? I'm not saying they would definitely think like this, but it's a possibility, isn't it?

It's a funny thing ..... Hubby and I live in a big house, on a fairly small income. We have always lived within our means, budgeted well, no expensive holidays abroad, small car, saved hard to pay off our mortgage, you know the sort of thing.

When we moved to this big house, some folk made pointed remarks about how we could afford all this. Insinuations, if you like. Do ya know, I'd welcome an investigation, so I could prove to the doubters that we are totally legit!

Just another side to the story, I guess.
I don't think that anyone who is feeling unwell for any reason would welcome an investigation for unnecessary purposes; it is also a waste of public resources if nothing untoward is found out to be happening.

I am also surprised that the poster MWB is not pleased that the property is being maintained so that the tourists/backpackers can be encouraged and property values be bolstered. It doesn't sound as if the village has got much else going for it. Just imagine what the village pub must be like! No thanks!

I take it that it is in Scotland so I will avoid going to the villages there in the near future.
I am surprised that some people do not seem to know MWB's gender yet write him/her off as some kind of Meddlesome Ratbag from Viz.
It sounds more like a jealous old man to me.
Londonlove, people who are geniunely claiming benefits need not worry one bit about being investigated. The investigators do not come down "heavy-handedly" on the genuine folk. In fact, quite the opposite.

The investigation sometimes only involves a background check, and the person being investigated is not even approached.
Question Author
What a provocative question this has turned out to be!

The conversation we had in the Main St was started by the couple. They asked me first what benefit I was on. They knew I was on one as I was on crutches with a broken leg.

I had been working full time until I broke my leg. I have minimal savings, and the interest I make from those savings is charged as income against the benefit I receive. Certainly not dollar for dollar, something like 20c - 30c in the dollar. So I'm on a slightly reduced benefit, which is fair enough. But I'm not living a miserable existence. It's a rather financially reduced & therefore restricting lifestyle, (broken leg notwithstanding) - but a comfortable one. I'm living within the limits of the benefit I receive.

Yes of course there is a lot of gossip, rumour, (right, wrong, fabricated or inflated) as there is in any community. Perhaps I am a tattle tale, a snoop, a communist. Maybe I should be burned at the stake. My assumptions may be wrong. All I know & feel is I see what appears to be an injustice. I neither made the law nor have the authority to enforce it. So I passed my concerns to the proper authorities. They will now investigate surreptitiously - if any wrong doing is detected, they will, I expect, contact the couple for an explanation & it will go from there. If none is found, well great. I was wrong.

But like the adage by Publilus Syrus in my previous post:

I often regret that I have spoken;
Never that I have been silent.

The whole point of my question is......................

How can people, who have been on a benefit for years, afford multiple plane trips around the country, drive 3 miles to the nearest city very often, take overseas holidays every year, do extensive renovations on their house, buy another house, buy & sell extensively on EBay like sites, etc, etc?
ethel said u done the right thing ? im surprised at that ! in my view u have not done the right thing,u shouldnt start vicious rumours about people without solid evidence !! u know how one small word can spread like wildfire especially in small communities....

let people get on with their lives and keep ur nose out of it !! are you jealous they have money ?
"gossiping"??? reporting something who is potentially committing a crime causes no problem for that person, unless a potential offence is discovered.

anyway, this poster is evidently in the States so I can not comment on their style benefit investigations.

in the UK millions of pounds are lost each year to benefit thieves, money that could be much better used in hospitals, social services, NHS etc..

and if you're a tax payer, you're paying for it!
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Tatu - your comments sound stupid & ignorant; a dangerous combination. Please read my postings throughly so you actually understand the content.

That is: I perceived, I ruminated, I reported.

Recession or no, my tax payers dollar pays for benefits. The more fraudulent beneficiaries are caught, the better for all of us. More money for health care, education, etc, etc.

If you ever need help from any government agency but the budgets have had to cut due to fraud, graffiti, burglary, or the roads fall into disrepair or the libraries close - I want to be there to say you personally "Tough Cheese!" All misdemeanors, tax dodgers, or P. Labs weren't ever reported to the authorities because I didn't want to appear jealous of them having money & sticking my nose in!

So in other words - don't be so absurd!

-- answer removed --
Just beat me to it Doc. Some people go sick at the drop of a hat and should pull themselves together. I have a problem getting out of bed in the morning but get on with it.
-- answer removed --
never mind you will all be on the dole next year.
For waht it's worth, I think you've done the right thing! Nobody objects to people receiving benefits when it is a genuine entitlement!!

I, however, object to those receiving benefits in order to have an easy life. Fo example, I've known a woman very well for the past 11 years, she and her hubby receive invalidity, or whatever it's called. The reason she could not work has been resolved and when asked if she'll look for employment now she stated that she doesn't see why shee should work, when it's handed out on a plate.

This same woman has paid for 2 private operations in the last 4 years, a new car, a mortgage, several holidays abroad, has a HUGE plasma TV, and got sky+ before anyone else I knew. They've paid for a new conservatory and patio etc etc.

I know this woman is not in receipt of inheritance/ insurance payouts etc. No, she works on the side.

And I wish I had the balls to do what you've done!! MWB!!

After all, my hubby and I work 48hrs a week each, with a 10mth old baby, and can't afford half of what she's got!!
I would do exactly the same as the poster. It gets on every ones nerves when people claim and they are not entitled to it and taxpayers and benefits offices rely on people raising converns. There are tons of scroungers in this country which should be sent back sharpish to work. It is an insult to the poor devils who are truly disabled and cannot afford to live properly as others are taking a share of the pot when they could be working.
If they have nothing to worry about and it is all above board then the truth will out and at least MWB can rest with her conscience. Good for her/him.
Hi again Ethel - sorry for delay, been away from here snce posting.

All I know is, that the person who drives the incapacitated person's motibilty car, works full time & is always away at weekends. The reason I know it is a mobility car, is because the driver's mother told me herself. She was also concerned that her daughter had sold her own car to drive this 'new' one, but if it all went 'wrong', she would then have to go out & buy another.

In a nutshell - woman is disabled - her friend is driving about in a mobility car, but is never there for her. How does this work out & who is paying the price?
P.S. Can fully understand where Pickle is coming from & this has nothing to do with any genuine cases on here.
i think everyone of us probably knows someone who is playing the system, working in the construction industry this is a common occurance for me as everyone knows there are thousands of labourers on the sick but still working for cash in hand.

Is this any worse than the lazy ones who claim benefits and sit on their backides doing nothing all day

The problem is the benefit system as a whole is inadequate like a lot of things and needs to be sorted and then it wont be up to the general public to debate whether to report someone or not
elginred folk in receipt of Incapacity Benefit are allowed to work and claim it at the same time.
Yes, but they're not allowed to sub-let a council house that they are getting due to their "disability" And work on the side whilst not declaring it to the taxman!

Or are they?
Report them,

But if they are doing nothing wrong so be it, but if they are claiming benefits and earning money from other sources, they deserve to be punished.

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