Benefit Fraud - advice needed

[Monkey Boy]

Does anyone know how benefit fraud is investigated?

 

I have had a couple of blokes clearing out my garden and digging it over. It turns out that both are claiming benefits and have recently received letters from DWP asking them to attend an interview regarding their claims.

 

I have given them cash for the work , not much in all honesty but they are asking that I lie to the authorities about how much I have been giving them.

 

Is it likely that I will be interviewed in the course of an investigation into their claim? Is it possible that the investigators will ask to see my bank account. I have paid them on a daily basis over the last few days and cash withdrawals will show up on my account.

 

Worried about this and what the repercussions would be for me if I dob them in it. Found out yesterday that one of them has served a six year sentence for armed robbery and has a history of violence. Any advice appreciated.

[ricgem2002]

have they caught these people while working on your garden

[Glamrocker]

Three wise monkeys...Simples

[Bypassblade]

Does anyone know how benefit fraud is investigated?

 

I have had a couple of blokes clearing out my garden and digging it over. It turns out that both are claiming benefits and have recently received letters from DWP asking them to attend an interview regarding their claims.

 

I have given them cash for the work , not much in all honesty but they are asking that I lie to the authorities about how much I have been giving them.

 

Is it likely that I will be interviewed in the course of an investigation into their claim? Is it possible that the investigators will ask to see my bank account. I have paid them on a daily basis over the last few days and cash withdrawals will show up on my account.

 

Worried about this and what the repercussions would be for me if I dob them in it. Found out yesterday that one of them has served a six year sentence for armed robbery and has a history of violence. Any advice appreciated.

 

Did you know they were on benefits before they started doing the work? I cannot tell you what they will do as not sure & I'm pretty certain none on here will know, unless they are fraud officers.

 

Good luck is all I can say, but how would they know it was you? if doing them, I'd have thought they'd have a catalogue of evidence on them TBH otherwise they could claim it was a one off.

[Monkey Boy]

have they caught these people while working on your garden

 

Thanks for your reply.

 

The answer to that is - not to my knowledge but I suppose it's possible they have been under surveillance.

 

I think a neighbour has possibly reported them - apparently one of them is well known in the area for causing trouble - and the neighbour is equally as troublesome. I have a feeling that there is some kind of neighbourhood war going on between them. I am fairly new to the area and am beginning to discover that there are underlying tensions going on.

 

Am beginning to regret buying this house - cos I can see trouble coming

[LeMaquis]

They are allowed to sign on if they work less than 16 hours a week but they have to declare their earnings which will be deducted from their benefits less about a fiver. If JCP knows they have been working and you haven't paid them much then they'd be daft not to tell the truth. You may be interviewed under caution in which case telling lies to save someone else's skin might not be in your best interest.

[Penistone999]

Does anyone know how benefit fraud is investigated?

 

I have had a couple of blokes clearing out my garden and digging it over. It turns out that both are claiming benefits and have recently received letters from DWP asking them to attend an interview regarding their claims.

 

I have given them cash for the work , not much in all honesty but they are asking that I lie to the authorities about how much I have been giving them.

 

Is it likely that I will be interviewed in the course of an investigation into their claim? Is it possible that the investigators will ask to see my bank account. I have paid them on a daily basis over the last few days and cash withdrawals will show up on my account.

 

Worried about this and what the repercussions would be for me if I dob them in it. Found out yesterday that one of them has served a six year sentence for armed robbery and has a history of violence. Any advice appreciated.

 

You have had your garden on the cheap and saved some cash. Just tell the authorities nowt. They have to prove you paid them . Also everybodys bank accounts have daily cash withdrawals ,so they cant pin owt on you.

[Hairyloon]

It is important to know that both the hours and the earnings are supposed to relate to an average, though I've never been clear over what period it should be averaged.

Thus, if you worked 20 hours last week and none this week, then you've averaged 10 and may still qualify for benefit.

Also, you should deduct costs from your gross income.

The problem is that almost nobody at the jobcentre knows either of these things, and even fewer that will admit to it.

 

But that is the claimant's issue.

I'd suggest that OP simply declines an interview. He has no obligation to talk to them.

[NorthernStar]

True, there's nothing wrong with paying a couple of lads to do your garden unless it can be proved that the op conspired in some way to defraud the DWP.

[LeMaquis]

It is important to know that both the hours and the earnings are supposed to relate to an average, though I've never been clear over what period it should be averaged.

Thus, if you worked 20 hours last week and none this week, then you've averaged 10 and may still qualify for benefit.

 

It's done on a weekly basis. If someone worked 20 hours one week they'd lose all their JSA. If they worked no hours the following week they'd lose none of it.