benefit fraud pls help

[snailz]

hi im very sorry but i dont know where i should post this thread. i need some help regarding housing benefit fraud. i have been asked to come in to give a statement. can somebody pls tell me where i should post regarding this? thanks

[ims21]

Thread moved to the Benefits Forum where the guys will be along to help as soon as they are available.

[45002]

hi im very sorry but i dont know where i should post this thread. i need some help regarding housing benefit fraud. i have been asked to come in to give a statement. can somebody pls tell me where i should post regarding this? thanks

 

Can tell us what is the alleged HB Fraud is ,so user on CAG can advise you !

[snailz]

im not sure, they said im being investigated for having a partner living with me. here is my situation. i have a disabled daughter who is very severe. my boyfriend lives at his flat but is her registered carer as i have my own illness and am unable to be her carer. he comes over throughout the week, she needs someone to watch her during the night so he sleeps on her floor on a blow up bed, the nights he is not here i must do it. he looks after her during the day when im not up to it, so yes he does often come to my house but its because he cares for her. i dont get money from him or i dont give him money. he pays the bills at his own place himself and i pay my own, we rarely do things together as a couple as my daughter needs constant attention so all our time is divided around caring for her.

[time4change2]

they might just want to speak to you about your boyfriend staying throughout the week due to him being her carer they might just want you to justify or clarify that as they might think that he lives there with you full time seeing as he is your boyfriend

[snailz]

yeah they said someone reported me, i phoned up and she said not to worry as all she needed was a statement

[snailz]

hi can i just confirm something, my 'statement' must be taken at the job centre, dont they normally do job centre interviews under caution? it never said in my letter it would be under caution?

[tomtom256]

A statement is not taken at an interview under caution.

 

They probably just want what you have stated about your boyfriend coming round. If he has his own place he is liable for and paying bills at they cannot find you living together.

 

They will do whats called an MF47 which will state that "I receive (whatever benefit) as a single parent (or whatever reason you receive said benefit for), my boyfriend, Joe Bloggs, visits my house/flat everyday as he is a carer for my daughter he stays so many nights a week but lives in his own property (insert address) where he is liable for council tax and pays all the bills. I now that if he moves in with me I must notify the DWP of this immediately. I am also aware of other changes in my circumstances I must notify the DWP of whilst claiming benefits".

 

This will then be held on file and should the issue arise again or evidence be forthcoming in the furture this may be used against you.

[snailz]

thank you tomtom on the phone she said they had some questions such the person who reported me said he had his own key and about shopping together, really random things im so scared. he doesnt have a key, i keep the key outside in a safe location should either he or my parents need it in emergency if they have my daughter and im not home. is it ok to tell them this or does it sound like im giving him a key?

[abc123def]

It's normal for carers to have access to a key. Have you thought about having a key safe fitted? If your dd needs 24 hour care, have you had a care assessment by the social services? Sounds as if additional help might be welcome.

[snailz]

yes we had an assesment, they only gave me 4 hours respite per week, it was their advice to take my boyfriend on as a carer. i dont know what im meant to be doing, my daughter needs a carer, my boyfriend comes round to that job as that is what he is paid for. how i am breaking the law? it would be breaking the law if he was paid carers allowance and didnt do it. its like im being forced to have him move in. can anyone tell me what would happen if i went to the interview and told her that we have decided to move him in? would i still be investigated and have to pay any money back for the hours he has spent here being her carer?

[snailz]

anyone know? x

[tomtom256]

I presume it's compliance you are seeing. If you have done nothing wrong tell them what you put above. You can of course move your partner in and claim as a couple, they would probably still want a statement for past period.

 

By all means move him in if it's for the best and going to suit your needs going forward, but don't be forced into it.

 

I don't think your benefits would change that much as a couple, depending on what you both get.

[snailz]

Will i need to pay any money back? and do i just let her know during the interview? im being forced into it, yes, but it might work our better so we are not constantly being judged

[snailz]

yes its compliance, we had the same situation a couple of years back and she closed the case while at my house. its horrible that i need to go through with this again. but in the bigger picture it might be better to have more help if he lives here.

[tomtom256]

yes its compliance, we had the same situation a couple of years back and she closed the case while at my house. its horrible that i need to go through with this again. but in the bigger picture it might be better to have more help if he lives here.

 

Don't be forced into moving in together as it's a big step.

 

But from what you say it would appear he may be at yours more than his so could be more beneficial in the long run.

 

With regards to paying money back. As long as you don't admit or agree he has been living with you x amount of time then there should be no overpayment as your entitlement won't have changed.

 

I presume he is on DWP benefits also, carers allowance with IS top up perhaps from what has been said and reading between the lines? If so it should just be a joint claim and a simple change of circs.

[estellyn]

It's normal for carers to have access to a key. Have you thought about having a key safe fitted? If your dd needs 24 hour care, have you had a care assessment by the social services? Sounds as if additional help might be welcome.

 

Don't know if key safes have changed, but they are not secure - at an old job, I was regularly called on to get into the key safe when the code had been forgotten/lost - it's not difficult and I wouldn't leave my key in one.

[snailz]

yes he's on carers allowance and an income support top up. thinking about it i think he maybe has been spending more time at mine than he should however this is not entirely the case, he often comes round and takes my daughter out for long periods of time, he takes her to medical checks and the park etc, the actual time spent in the house is not that much. but yes he spends a lot of time looking after my daughter, im not sure how ill stand with this, they may see it as him living here i dont know?? we very rarely spend time together and never go anywhere alone as a couple.

[snailz]

i cant seem to find any rules or law regarding a carer spending time at someones house?

[kk3852]

i cant seem to find any rules or law regarding a carer spending time at someones house?

 

But he is not just a carer - he is admittedly her partner and also the father of her child.

 

The only way forward is to be honest with the compliance officer - I know you say that this has been accepted in the past but one of the points that they also look at is whether or not the relationship has lasted any length of time.

[snailz]

yes thats also true i intend on being honest about this. will they take into consideration that he has lived at his flat for at least 12 years prior to becoming her carer and that he just wants to continue living there?

[snailz]

actually it was 1997 so a long time, i hope they dont see it like he wants a free place to stay as its always been his home.

[snailz]

On my letter it asked for 6 months of bank records, do you know why this is? i went to my bank last week and ordered some but they told me it would take 10-14 working days so they would not be here in time anyway. can i print off a month and take them and take my ipad too so she can view earlier dates if she wishes or maybe give her my sign in details as im thinking she is in a position of trust. Also i dont know if to tell her about my illness or not, i suffer from mental health issues, severe depression, anxiety and see the psychiatrist team at my hospital, i have to take medication every day to treat my depression and anxiety, will this go against me? i dont want her thinking im unstable and confused but my issues are quite bad and im finding this very difficult. this week iv had to double my medication in fear iv broke the law