Benefit fraud

[missdxxx]

Right, I'm 21 and have been on JSA for the last 19 months. After I had been claiming for 2 months, I got a part time job at a night club, after 3 months of working there I quit as I'd found a full time job in a restaurant (all above board- declared this to DWP) after only a month in the restaurant, I was fired as I didn't turn up for work one day although I didn't think I was working that day. Anyway, I didn't tell DWP that I had been fired as I knew they'd stop my JSA for 13 weeks and I had to pay my rent, debts and live on it so I couldn't afford to let them do that, so I carried on not telling them I'd stopped working in the restaurant and its now been near 13 months of not telling them. I am well aware it is benefit fraud although technically i've only cheated them out of £600. I think it's time to go in and tell the truth as I can't deal with the stress anymore. Just wondering what punishments there could be? I have never been in trouble with the law before and this is my first offence with benefits, I've never even had a sanction and if my JSA is stopped because of fraud, will my housing benefit also be stopped? I have no children and am single. Thanks.

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I'll move your thread to the benefits forum, where the guys will know about this. Please bear with us until they're able to get here.

 

There will be a short term redirect for you to follow from this forum to the new one.

 

My best, HB

[antone]

Just to be clear, it isn't that you were working and claiming benefits at the same time, simply that you were not truthful to the DWP about the reason why your restaurant job ended, is that correct?

[missdxxx]

Just to be clear, it isn't that you were working and claiming benefits at the same time, simply that you were not truthful to the DWP about the reason why your restaurant job ended, is that correct?

 

No, i declared all the work I had done. I just never told them when i was fired, they think im still working there but i am not. I only didnt tell them as i knew theyd stop my benefit for 13 weeks and i wouldnt have been able to pay my rent or bills. I was hoping id get a job but my efforts dont seem to be getting me anywhere.

[antone]

I don't understand how you could have been awarded JSA if they knew you had a full time job. How many hours per week was the restaurant job?

[Alfie29]

Ur right Antone, how could Missdxxx get JSA if she is in full time work? I think it is best for u to come clean tbh. Believe me they are watching EVERYONE now! They will prob stop all ur money while u are being investigated?

 

Better to say then be sorry!

[antone]

Ur right Antone, how could Missdxxx get JSA if she is in full time work? I think it is best for u to come clean tbh. Believe me they are watching EVERYONE now! They will prob stop all ur money while u are being investigated?

 

Better to say then be sorry!

 

Well, that's a bit alarmist, but not totally incorrect. What confuses me is that OP says she declared her restaurant job. If this was the case, and it was for more than 16 hours per week, then JSA should have stopped at that point. Housing Benefit might still be available if the wages were low, but JSA is not paid to anyone working 16 hours or more per week.

[missdxxx]

I don't understand how you could have been awarded JSA if they knew you had a full time job. How many hours per week was the restaurant job?

 

It was meant to be graduating to a full time job at 30 hours a week, I was only doing 10 hours a week for the month I was working there and training.

[missdxxx]

Ur right Antone, how could Missdxxx get JSA if she is in full time work? I think it is best for u to come clean tbh. Believe me they are watching EVERYONE now! They will prob stop all ur money while u are being investigated?

 

Better to say then be sorry!

 

It was meant to be graduating to a full time job at 30 hours a week, I was only doing 10 hours a week for the month I was working there and training.

[antone]

It was meant to be graduating to a full time job at 30 hours a week, I was only doing 10 hours a week for the month I was working there and training.

 

So as far as they know, you're still working there for 10 hours per week? Have they been asking you to complete income declarations when you sign? Have they been deducting the money they think you've been earning from you payments?