Benefit Fraud

[jamxtart]

Dont know if ive posted this in the right section so I will post it in business and finance aswell. A very very stupid friend of mine was claiming jobseekers allowance and council tax benefit while working as a dj (self employed) for a number of years. The benefit agency have caught up with him and he is being prosecuted for benefit fraud and tax avoidence (and rightly so). Total amount he owes is £15,000. Stupid friend is now hardly working as he has not had any party bookings for a while, there is now hardly any money coming in to his household. Friend is a single man with no children living with him. Friend has got a mortgage for his own house. Friend knows he could go to prison as there is no way he can pay this money back, but can they put some sort of charging order or make him sell his house in order to pay the money back that he very wrongly claimed. What can they actually do if he has hardly any money to offer them and goods that are not worth anything so pointless if a bailiff came around.... Thanx very much x

[sara3]

jamxtart, I don't think he will get a prison sentence unless he pleads not guilty and it goes to trial (and he's found guilty), or he has similar convictions. even then, I'd be surprised.