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Would you report someone for fraud?

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6 years 3 weeks ago #207795 by Ellen
If you knew someone who was claiming PIP ( higher care, lower mobility) and has been in hospital ( an Eating Disorders Unit) since the middle of January but had purposely not told the DWP because she didn’t want the money to stop , would you ring the benefit fraud telephone line and report them? I know she knows she should have told them and it’s not just she’s forgotten, and I’ve tried dropping subtle hints. I feel a bit mean reporting her but she’s getting a lot of money each week which she shouldn’t be- especially when all her extra care costs/meals/bills etc are being covered.
Am I doing the right thing if I report the fraud ?
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6 years 3 weeks ago #207805 by Gordon
Replied by Gordon on topic Would you report someone for fraud?
Abby

You'll have to forgive me but I'm not going to give you an answer to this, you need to make your own decision, what I would say is be very certain of your facts.

Gordon

Nothing on this board constitutes legal advice - always consult a professional about specific problems
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6 years 3 weeks ago #207809 by ThisGovernmentsGoneToFar
Replied by ThisGovernmentsGoneToFar on topic Would you report someone for fraud?

Gordon wrote: Abby

You'll have to forgive me but I'm not going to give you an answer to this, you need to make your own decision, what I would say is be very certain of your facts.

Gordon


Also to add to the above to the great advice by Gordon.

Also bear in mind The person in Question May have already phoned already of changes unless it's is a close friend they may not have also told you or don't won't too, and may have done it themselfs.
Just be mindful not to just cause concern and upset.

I was formely known as (GoingOffMyHeadWithThisGovernment) Won PIP November 2017 ongoing award HR both. Now kept and got my ESA Support group but took a while.
The following user(s) said Thank You: TheHud, Waylay
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6 years 3 weeks ago #207812 by Maggie
Replied by Maggie on topic Would you report someone for fraud?
If your 'friend' is in the eating disorder unit she will be in a state of crisis & unlikely to have mental capacity to understand & make decisions without support.
You can help support her to understand PIP will not be stopped permanently & she won't have to reapply. The thought is understandably overwhelming at the moment. Prevarication is quite normal. Has she enough money to pay her rent & utility bills? You could help her write the letter for her to sign & talk to her directly about your concerns that she is being dishonest.
Perhaps the nursing staff in hospital are better placed to do this, in fact this is routine with psychiatric admissions.
There is a long list of assessors working for Capita, Maximus & Atos deliberately committing fraud that deserve to be brought to court . A fraud allegation will be very damaging to your friend's health & will destroy your relationship.
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6 years 3 weeks ago #207815 by satmanbasil
Replied by satmanbasil on topic Would you report someone for fraud?
hi
what the law says on this
PIP Stops after a total of four weeks (either in one stay, or several stays, where the gaps between stays are no more than four weeks each time) if you are aged 18 or over on the date you are admitted to hospital. This limit does not apply if you are aged under 18 on the date of admission; PIP can be paid for an indefinite period as long as the other qualifying conditions are met.

If you claim PIP when you are already in hospital, it cannot be paid until you leave.

second question you should ask yourself is how would you react if somebody reported you? I do not condone benefit fraud and this poor girl with eating disorder has enough problems in her life without the stress of somebody reporting her. By all means inform her about her rights above and take it from there.
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6 years 3 weeks ago #207817 by Mr B
Replied by Mr B on topic Would you report someone for fraud?
"If you knew someone who was claiming PIP ( higher care, lower mobility) and has been in hospital ( an Eating Disorders Unit) since the middle of January but had purposely not told the DWP because she didn’t want the money to stop , would you ring the benefit fraud telephone line and report them?"

Abby

Well I don't actually know of anyone who I suspect may be committing benefit fraud and like Gordon cannot advise you what you 'should' do, that's for you to decide. Additionally there are many things we don't - and of course it isn't for us to - know, for example exactly what your precise connection with the person in question is. You seem to know exactly what benefits, and levels of benefits, they are getting and what they have and haven't told the DWP about being in hospital! What I will say Abby is that if I personally knew someone was in hospital and I had some sort of 'friendly' link with them my primary concern would be for their health and wanting them to get better rather than wanting to know what benefits they were on and what they have. or haven't, told the DWP or other organisations! As far as my own benefits and benefit levels etc are concerned I rarely discuss them with other people. This is not because I'm doing anything wrong or I'm 'ashamed' of being on benefits, I'm not to both of those, but simply because I am somewhat of a 'private' person and I don't normally discuss finances (whether to do with benefits or not), or other private matters, with others. I regard them as my business and their finances as their business. I personally would recommend those on benefits, or other allowances, not to discuss them with others unless absolutely necessary because even if they are doing nothing wrong, and almost everyone isn't, it can lead to someone making malicious reports, why does he/she get higher rate of x, when I get lower rate x and my condition is much worse than theirs? etc etc

I am sure Abby you will join with the rest of us on this forum in wishing this person a speedy recovery and every good wish for her future health and happiness.
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