A question about : Query benefit fraud?
I am really concerned that my God-daughter is getting herself into a right mess with her life generally, but also with benefits.
To cut a very long story short, she left her family home last November after a row with her mum.she lied to a chantry to get a flat from them, saying her mum had attacked her ( she ended to be considered vulnerable and abused to qualify for the charity. She and a
Her sister are known to the police because they have had problems for years, having been adopted very young with ongoing issues.)
When she left she took control of a large payment (over 20 grand) her parents had put into savings trusts for her and had Ј4,000 in her current account from her job . She gave up her job ( a no guaranteed hours contract care job) went onto contributions based JSA and the charity helped her apply for housing benefit- and encouraged her to get her DLA increased from MRC only to HRC and. HRM. Her only (mild) disability is a very slight hearing loss in one ear and mild dispraxia . Neither had stopped her being employed prior to this.
She has run through her savings at a mammoth rate having now just 11 grand left ( so she has spent 15 grand partying whilst telling the council she had no savings at all.)
A charity worker has spoken to her this week about her savings because I tipped them off to try and stop her getting into any more trouble- she is all set to apply for income based JSA when her contributions based runs out. I know she is not entitled to the DLA ( I have been involved with helping people apply for it for years and to be honest her award should have ended years ago on my assessment.) she works regularly as an Army cadet instructor spending weekends and weeks away and getting Ј55 a day for that- also undeclared . She lied again to the charity and they say they can't do any more.
Am I right in thinking she is committing benefit fraud? She has over Ј1300 coming in each month from benefits as a 20 year old, and her boyfriend gets carer's allowance for her on top of that. She brags about what she is doing and it's only a matter of time before someone she annoys reports her.
Best answers:
- Grass her up .... You do not have to leave your name.
She is digging herself a huge hole. - The application for housing may not be a benefit offence.
Leaving a job voluntarily and not informing JSA of this may mean you are not entitled for an extended period - savings wouldn't matter to JSA(C).
Savings would stop her being eligible for HB.
DLA can be given to people who work, and is not strictly related to degree of disability.
JSA(IR) after the first 6 months would be stopped by having >16K of savings.
At the least, all after the first 6 months JSA is in principle overpaid - and a penalty will be payable.
Similarly for HB, and council tax support.
She may be treated as if she still has >16K for all three - for some time - 'notional capital' going forward.
In principle, a prosecution for benefit fraud might also happen, in addition to having to repay all of the overpayment. - Although a person is able to work and still get DLA an award of Higher rate care and higher rate mobility is usually for those who need a great deal of help with their personal care (eating, going to the toilet, dressing etc) and also someone who is unable to walk, or virtually unable to walk.
This award does not appear to be compatible with her involvement with the Army Cadets.
As to whether her 'earnings' in the cadets need to be declared then yes as they are paid a training allowance.
If this is allowed to continue then both her and her boyfriend who claims carers allowance could both be overpaid and prosecuted - Tried to link to a similar case but failed miserably.
Quick google search show several prosecutions of Army Cadet instructors/DLA/benefits - OP with your "knowledge"of the benefits system why do you need our help?
tbh with a god mother like you i'd prefer a god father,we see time and time again people coming on here expecting us to decide from very limited information wether people are committing fraud or not,you seem to forget that millionaires who work a hundred hours a week can be entitled to dla - I'm surprised she gets anything for a slight hearing loss in one ear, I'm profoundly deaf in both and get nothing.
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