What is the benefit of ATCA?

Benefit/ Tax fraud being committed?

• Hi, Am concerned that a friend is unintentionally committing some sort of benefit fraud after some information she told me this morning. I would rather ask you people first and say to her directly that she is wrong than call up the benefit fraud people and get her into trouble.- The friend is 24y has a full time job, has such claims working tax credits, and child benefit. she is also a 'single' mum of her 3 children, of which she claims the single parent entitlement has the Job center see fit, which then entitles her to IS which then entitles her to free Housing Benefit and Council Tax, HOWEVER, her partner is also in full time employment and is father to the 3 children. now here is where the twist/concern pops up!- The father of the 3 children lives on his own behind the friend;s mums home in a little granny flat type home. Both the house where the friend lives and the friend's partner pay the friend's mum rent although the Housing Benefit/Council Tax don't know the rent is being paid to friend's mum has her mum is using her maiden name on the forms (the friend's mum owns both the friend's home and her partners) The partner (father of the children) claims some benefit of which i don't know the name of, for having his children 4 days a week, although it is the friend's mum/family members that have the children whilst they both work. The friend is today 17 weeks pregnant with her 4th child, the partner who is father to the other 3 children is also father to the 4th. It seems from what she is saying to me that her partner has told her they can do this, and has such have been living like this for the past 4years. Whilst they live in separate houses, the friend can claim has being 'single' mum and get all the 'free benefits'. Even though they are both working full time and in a relationship, (although living separately) she can have as many children has she wants with the same father and he can claim the 'free benefit/s' for having his children 4 days a week ontop of her 'free benefits' and there is nothing the benefit system can do about it because they both live in separate houses. Is she correct or is some benefit fraud of some sort being committed here? Thank you for any help

• Answer:

  Ok so 1. Dont you be the one to call the council on this one...you could ruin your friends life. (even tho it might not be legit). I was subjected to the benefit people trying to do me for benefit fraud as I forgot to tell them my tax credits had gone up. I didnt mean too but I could have landed in serious trouble if I didnt go to the interview and explain exactly what was going on. Anyways they realised it was a slip of the mind and so forgot bout it. However...you friend is committing benefit fraud. Why? Because.... She is claiming as a single occupant and single mother. If her and her childrens father are still together, then this is breaking the law. I currently dont live with my partner and I have the baby with me at my mums. He is with his mum. Luckily we dont pay rent...hard circumstances. I dont get JSA or IS as they know hes workin, Im not. We get child benefit, tax credits (child and working) and this is all we get. I live off benefits (legit ones) and he lives off his wages and gives me some of it. There is nothing wrong with paying a family member rent...as long as they are registered as a landlord. Obviously your friends mum isnt right? If she is then this is called private housing which means your friend is entitled to live seperately from her partner/childs father. They are both entitled to housing benefit on these grounds. Its the tax credits that becomes the 'fraudulent' part. If they are still together but living seperatley they have to state this to HMRC tax credits. They will take his and hers income into consideration and decide if shes entitled to more/less child tax credits and she may be entitles to working tax credits if both of them together are working more than 16hrs a week in total. If he is recieving money because the children visit him (but he is in a relationship with thier mum) then this is fraud. Hes not entitled to get this money. Having said all the above...if the council found out about it all they would be in the ****. But they are getting more money than they are entitled too. Your friend is working full time...but it depends on how much she gets paid. Full time is 30+ hrs a week at minimum wage for adult is £5.10phr depending on her age it could be £5.75. This would equate to her getting £172 a week or more. no basis to get income support at all. If she was working cash in hand (which is illegal if you havent told HMRC/so they can work out tax) then shes committing fraud on quite a few levels. And she could find herself with a hefty fine or prison. They should: Work full time and claim child tax credits and working tax credits then see how much they earn altogether. They both should live together in one of the houses and her mum should register as a landlord. They should pay her rent. The applicable amount for housing benefit varies from council to council but if they earn something like below £240 a week altogether (which I doubt it, this takes in consideration child benefit, and tax credits) then they can claim some housing benefit. They have found a way to beat the system! theyre laughing now, but one day the benefit fraud people will track them down..and they wont be laughing anymore. Dont be the one to dob them in, you will onyl lose a friend, talk to her, tell her what shes doing is wrong and give her some leaflets from the council that state the rules. Give her a chance to change things off her own conscience. If she doesnt , just get a friends of your she dont know to call the anomnyous helpline. But remember you have to have hard facts when shopping someone...dont go on what she tells you alone, as she could just be lying. Go on what you see yourself.