ChatterBank0 min ago
Benefit Fraud
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Benefit fraud is stealing money from the tax payer and although only a few people are prosecuted a lot of people have to repay the benefit they have obtained illegally. Having said that an awful lot of people falsely claim benefit because the benefit rules are too complex, and likewise a lot of people fail to claim their entitlement either through ignorance or in the case of one benefit because it is virtually impossible to claim.
Regarding punishment, do you imprison the single parent who worked a few hours each week to try and make ends meet, if you do the state may have to pick up the bill for the children being in care.
Some people are continually shunted from unemployment to invalidity benefit and back dependent on the governments targets, this causes a lot of distress and extra work for everyone.
We've also spent the last 5 months trying to legitimately claim for backdated Housing Benefit and have been messed around due to our council's complete and utter incompetence. So it ****** me off moreso when I hear about people claiming benefits that they have absolutely no entitlement to, while I'M paying for it.
Punishment should be a fine, deductable from future wages, and blacklisted from the benefits service.
I agree with malaise, especially having worked in benefits for a while. It would have to depend a bit on the situation though, but certainly they shouldn't be able to profit from it, either now or in the future.
Unfortunately, detection of the fraud does depend a lot on people dobbing others in and I think DWP need to make a lot more enquiries into new claimants and more regular checks.
Another "fraud" was the person who started work and had to work upto 4 weeks for their wages, they should apply for a loan which would take most of the time up instead they continued to claim benefit, is this person a benefit cheat?.