Thank you so much I'm starting to feel a bit calmer now I think I will just go with sending the tax credit award as I'm not very savvy with anything legal unfortunately and I wouldn't know where to start! One more question if you don't mind...do you think that would be the end of it if I sent off the tax credit letter or could they check up on me and find out I've had my tax credit to this address for some time? Bearing in mind they think I'm a new tenant? Sorry to be a pain I just can't help worrying probably because i know I've not been entirely truthful Are Marstons different from the average debt collection agency in that they have more powers etc? Thanks so much

Thank you for replying...my only problem is that I myself have lived here for 10 years and I can't find my tenancy agreement hence me sending my tax credit notice...would they check with the council? I'm so scared because I've lied and said I've no clue who this person is. Thanks again

Hello, I'm looking for some help regarding a notice of enforcement I've received this morning for my ex partner. It is for a court summons for tv licensing which I received to my address after we split up, when I received it I phoned the court to inform them he wasn't at this address but stupidly didn't say he was my ex as I don't have a clue where he is and thought at the time it was better to just say I was a new tenant (I know,very stupid) they told me to return the summons and I thought that was the end of it but this morning I've received an enforcement notice from Marstons. I phoned them up and stuck to the same story that it must have been a previous tenant as I thought I can't change it now in case they find out I've lied...they told me I have to send in evidence that I'm not the person named and they will do some checks to confirm that the evidence I provide is legit. My fear is what will happen when I send it off? What checks can they do? I'm going to send my tax credit award notice which has my own and my new partners names on but will they check anything with HMRC? Please help I don't know what to do and I'm frightened if getting into trouble Thanks in advance for any advice

Thanks guys i can now think straight for the first time in 6 mnths

Hello everyone, just to let you all know the outcome,I was given 40 hrs unpaid work and have to pay £150 court costs, i am so relieved its untrue, i am also extremely grateful that the magistrate was so lenient. I would like to add that my lesson is truly learnt and however desperate a situation i find myself in in the future i would never ever do anything so stupid again. Erika... I Read your reply this morning and your words really did help me to cope with the ordeal today i cant thank you enough it really gave me a boost this morning when i read it. I want to say massive thanks to everyone who has taken the time to help me may God bless all of you,it makes me realise that human kindness does exist. If my experience can help anybody else through a similar situation i am only too happy to repay that kindness. Thank you to you all

Erika..thanks so much i will ask to see the duty solicitor. CitizenB..I will be sure to turn up smart,i was unsure what they expect and didnt want them to think i was trying too much if you see what i mean. Martin..your words have been so kind and reassuring,i am humbled thank you so so much I will be sure to come back and let you know the outcome...I am trying very hard not to think about prison,but its all I can think about. Thanks for listening and taking the time to reply.

Hello Martin and thanks for your advice it does make things clearer and i will be following what you say. hopefully you are right about it being dealt with tommorrow,i havnt ever had any dealings with probation etc before so fingers crossed.. if they decide on a cusdodial would i go to prison tommorrow? also should i dress smartly? i want them to know i am taking it seriously. Thanks

Erika-thanks so much for your advice the article was very useful i am very grateful if i could just ask a couple of questions-would i not find out on tues what my fate is so to speak? i.e if they adjourn for sentencing will i have to wait again to find out or will they still tell me on tues and then i just return to be sentenced? how likely is it that they will deal with it in full on tues? regarding the duty solicitor,when i spoke with my ex solicitor he said as i cant get legal aid that i should ask for the duty solicitor on the day,is this wrong? it sonds as though i will have to do quite a lot of speaking from what i gather reading the replies,I am really worried,and hoped that tues would be the end of it all,I really hope that it dosnt get adjourned Thanks for all your help

thanks so much for al your quick replies My main worry is that having never been in court before and having no solicitor will i be asked lots of questions? and am i looking at a custodil sentence? do they cross examine you in a magistrates court?

Thank you citizen B

sorry just to mention i admitted the offence straight away in an IUC and will be pleading guilty dont know if this helps or not

Hello, I posted here previously with regards to me being charged with benefit fraud of a total overpayment of £6669 for failing to declare a change in my circumstances. I am at court this Tuesday and have received a letter this morning telling me my application for legal aid has been refused. I am looking for some advice as to what is likley to happen at court if i dont have a solicitor present will i be questioned? or will they just decide on the facts that they already have about the case? Does going alone mean i would be more inclined to recieve a heavier punishment? please help im am so scared i could go to jail. Thanks in advance

Hi all well i have had a breif phone conversation with my solicitor and he says that based on the overpayment ajount its highly unlikley that i will get a custodial sentence i am still worried that he cant guarantee anything though but its a bit of light at the end of the tunnel...i just want it all done with now i will update how i get on thanks to everyone

Hello all i just wanted to say thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to offer me advice i am extremely worried that theres even a 1% chance of me going to prison but having support on here is very welcome...i am hoping to speak to my solicitor tommorrow so i will let you all know what he says...once again thank you

Do you mean whether i would go to prison or about community service?

Life goes on-thanks for that link it has helped to see that other people havnt faced prison for more serious amounts i would just like to say what a great site! Thanks:-)

once again Merton thank you so much,your kindness is very much appreciated and has made me feel a little less panicked about this whole sorry affair. If i was to get community service,do you know what that would involve? would my neighbours know i was doing it? of course I wont complain about it anything is preferable to prison,its just i am unsure how it all works thanks again

Thank you so much for your reply Merton,I am extremely worried about the court appearance, it is my first ever offence for anything ive never had so much as a parking ticket. could i ask if this would be the only court hearing? i.e will it all be dealt with and over on this date or would it i have to wait again for another hearing? so scared of prison though...does anyone know of anyone who has been sent to prison for a similar case? i am so paranoid that they will make an example of me Thanks again Merton

please can anybody advise me? im really worried about going to jail

Hello all, I posted on here a few months ago regarding an IUC for benefit fraud for claiming Income support and HB/CT benefit as a single person while my partner was living with me. I attended the IUC in june and admitted what i had done,they were very reasonable with me which i was very grateful for as i know i didnt deserve them to be and admitted the time scale we had been back together (nov 2010-june2011) since this they have worked out an overpayment of £7,000 to which i have agreed a direct debit monthly to repay it at £50 pcm. This morning i received a letter to appear at magistrates court to answer the offence which looks very frightning in that it states failure to appear will result in a warrant for my arrest:!: I am of couse pleading guilty but am sooooo scared as to what will happen,is it likely i could be sent to prison? PLEASE PLEASE help me! I would also like to add that i would never ever ever make this mistake again and my lesson is well and truly learned thanks in advance

hi thank you all for replying any advice is greatly appreciated. with tegards to his parents confirming that he lived there they would do this yes

Hello i am looking for some urgent advice as i am worried about attending an interview under caution for income support and housing benefit fraud. I have been claiming since 2000 when i first seperated from my partner we had 2 kids together at the time and for a couple of years things were not amicable between us although he always saw the kids. Moving on a year or so we became really good friends and i stupidly agreed to letting him use my address for a car loan and a few other things as his parents whom he was staying with would not let him use their address in 2004 we ended up having a one night stand and got pregnant with my son i was called in at the time by dwp to ask how this had happened and i was honest and told them the truth that it was one off,they accepted my explanation and all was fine. we did see each other regularly folowing the birth of our son as i was struggling and he helped me out a lot with the kids, we became very close but still we were not in a relationship although around this time i got into trouble with my utilites supplier and he offered to change company and put it in his name for me. forward to 2007 and my mum became very ill with cancer so he became emotionally supportive and helped me alot with childcare and trips to the hospital etc. when my mum passed away in 2008 i was a mess and really struggled to cope so he did start to stay over the odd night and we drifted into an on off kind of relationship for around a year until about 12 mths ago we talked and decided to try again and he moved back in but because he could only get part time work with agencies here and there we stupidly decided to keep things as they were until he found a permanent job i really really do regret this now as i have received this letter and am so worried that although he did only move back in with me 12 mths ago they are going to try and say he has been here for the whole time based on the fact that hes had loans to my address the utilites are i his name and his car is registered here too. will they use this against me? i am so worried about getting a prison sentence please help