If I don't stop my benefits straight away.....

[janet99]

Hello,

 

I'm in a really difficult situation. I am currently on benefits, I have a child and I have to go back to Italy for a while (personal reasons), I don't know if I will stay there permanently, but when I arrive, I won't have any financial resources straight away. I will have to find a job, etc. and with a young child is not going to be easy. I am thinking about not notifying the dwp, hmrc and housing benefit/ctax benfit of my leaving the country, so I have some means to start with. If I don't do it, I won't be able to survive. I know is not I nice thing to do, I am a honest person, but circumstances are forcing me, it is necessary. It would be only for the first two or three months, but I'm afraid I could be caught, brought back to the UK and put in prison.

 

How likely is that to happen?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

A desperate mother.

[honeybee13]

Hello,

 

I'm in a really difficult situation. I am currently on benefits, I have a child and I have to go back to Italy for a while (personal reasons), I don't know if I will stay there permanently, but when I arrive, I won't have any financial resources straight away. I will have to find a job, etc. and with a young child is not going to be easy. I am thinking about not notifying the dwp, hmrc and housing benefit/ctax benfit of my leaving the country, so I have some means to start with. If I don't do it, I won't be able to survive. I know is not I nice thing to do, I am a honest person, but circumstances are forcing me, it is necessary. It would be only for the first two or three months, but I'm afraid I could be caught, brought back to the UK and put in prison.

 

How likely is that to happen?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

A desperate mother.

 

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I hope we might be able to give you some guidance, but I have to advise you that CAG does not advocate benefit fraud.

 

I don't know if the guys will have other advice for you or not. Have you looked at advice for Italy?

 

HB

[abc123def]

Janet, we see many people on this board who have been found out. The court process when found out and fear of repercussions are not worth it.

[Nystagmite]

I am sure that in some situations you can receive benefits whilst abroad; but it does depend on why and the duration. Look here for more information.

[honeybee13]

Thank you Nystagmite, that's really good information.

 

HB

[janet99]

I know it's not a good idea but it's the only option I have. I just want to know what would happen if I'm caught. I would be happy to pay the price once all this problems have been sorted but I want to know what the repercussions will be.

[estellyn]

I know it's not a good idea but it's the only option I have. I just want to know what would happen if I'm caught. I would be happy to pay the price once all this problems have been sorted but I want to know what the repercussions will be.

 

You want us to tell you the possible repercussions so you make a decision on whether to commit fraud, and whether the consequences are acceptable to you.

 

benefit fraud is illegal. You are likely to be prosecuted and go to prison. I won't go into more detail than that as I feel it would be assisting with a potential fraud.

[Stan Lee]

I appreciate that you are in a tough spot; why don't you approach CAB and see if there is anything they can recommend?

 

I think you are asking how likely it is that you will get caught. I'm sure you could ask around here and see that many of the people who post on here in the most distressed states never expected to be caught. The penalties for benefit fraud are harsh, it doesn't require receiving a lot of money to be over the threshold for an automatic referral for prosecution. Plus, as of April this year, the penalties became even tougher.

 

Another thing to think about is that this is a public forum, and if I were a CFIS investigator, I would be popping on here on my lunch break to see who had confessed to what. If something did pop into the lap of a CFIS investigator even a couple of months down the line, then they may well remember this thread.

 

I understand that you are in a tough spot - try and seek some othe advice to see if there are any other avenues open to you. You also have a child, and having to deal with a benefit fraud investigation/prosecution with all that this may imply (name in the paper etc) would make your life even more difficult.

[Stan Lee]

Also, you may get four weeks run on housing benefit after you discontinue your claim, although I am not an expert in this and so you would want to speak to someone in the council to see if it applies in your case.

[abc123def]

I know it's not a good idea but it's the only option I have.

 

That's not true. The other option you have is realising you cannot afford it so you don't go. Much as that will be emotionally traumatic as it is obviously important to you to go but unfortunately in life, often we cannot afford what we really really want.

[Slatted]

Janet...are the "personal reasons" ones that you cannot attend to from the UK? If so is there no one and no way of claiming benefits in Italy whilst you are there? Have you looked into the options regarding surviving abroad?

 

I got the feeling that you did not "really really want" to go but had to for some emergency, is that right?

[Nystagmite]

Also, you may get four weeks run on housing benefit after you discontinue your claim, although I am not an expert in this and so you would want to speak to someone in the council to see if it applies in your case.

 

You have to be claiming for at least 26 weeks (no break) for this to happen. There is also a 4 week run on for tax credits.

[id6052]

Also, you may get four weeks run on housing benefit after you discontinue your claim, although I am not an expert in this and so you would want to speak to someone in the council to see if it applies in your case.

 

the four week run on would only apply if starting work/increasing hours/increasing wages

[flumps1976]

If you are receiving IS, tax credits and child benefit then you still have a legal obligation to notify of your change in circumstances.

By not declaring that you are leaving the UK you will be making a fraudulent declaration if you cash the money paid from these sources of benefits/payments.

 

There are circumstances in which benefits and tax credits can continue to be paid whilst out of the UK legitimately http://www.dls.org.uk/advice/factsheet/welfare_benefits/benefits_abroad/Benefits_abroad.pdf this is one link but again it directs you to speak to the DWP before hand.

[Stan Lee]

Nystagmite and id6052, thanks for the clarification, and sorry to get my facts wrong!

[Bang!]

I cannot help wondering if the EConvHR offers free movement of workers, and there was all that tory crap previously about tebbit claiming people needed to get on their bikes to find work, if going to another nation to find work would permit an ECHR compliant objection from the UK. Lets face it, cameron has been happy enough to ignore EU law in the past, so could it be that its the UK breaking the law rather than those who travel where premited, which should be without any impediment as a deterrence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_movement_for_workers

[assisted blonde]

IMO you are not in the country, not availible for work (if on JSA) not living in your property etc etc so why should this country still pay your benefits? especially if you may not be coming back, sounds harsh I suppose but I think you tell the truth that you are going out of the country, you may still be entitled to some benefits, and do it honestly.

[Lillibelle]

What happens if ,once you are in Italy,finding a job/childcare proves too difficult? Wouldn't the temptation to carry on claiming from here be too great? I think you would be potty to even think about risking it. Read some of the threads from people who have been caught or even think they have done something wrong,,it's scary stuff.

[janet99]

Janet...are the "personal reasons" ones that you cannot attend to from the UK? If so is there no one and no way of claiming benefits in Italy whilst you are there? Have you looked into the options regarding surviving abroad?

 

I got the feeling that you did not "really really want" to go but had to for some emergency, is that right?

 

Hi,

 

Thanks. Yes, it is an emergency and I have to go.

[NoworNever]

My advise is don't do it - not worth it. You'll get caught, have to repay an overpayment, face a prosecution, potentially huge court costs and a possible custodial sentence. Who'd look after your child when you were banged up ?

[abc123def]

Janet, what is the emergency? I can't think of anything at all where one would 'have to' go, even a sick or dying relative - unfortunate not to be able to if you can't afford it but have to go isn't the case.

[assisted blonde]

Stop signing for benefits and resign when or if you come back. If you cant afford to go and no one else will support you while you are gone then in the real world it means you cant go, sorry.

[san_d]

Janet, before you do this, finding a job in Italy is virtually impossible. Unless you have good contacts, think twice or thrice (?).