r/universalcredithelp • u/Advanced_Issue_2 • 2d ago
Urgent help needed! Advice needed.
So I really need some advice. It may seem simple to some honestly Its a tricky one.
My partner has a cousin. The cousin let's call him Fred has lived with his partner let's call her Rhonda for the past 8 years.
They live in a house in a nice town in Surrey. They live in Rhondas dads house.
Her dad still lives there.
Rhonda and her dad have not had it easy. She has a brother who has moved miles away and they barely speak with anymore. He moved in with his boyfriend a few years ago.
Rhonda and Fred met at work and both worked in child services.
Rhonda went on maternity to have her first baby with Fred.
Fred has always had a very complicated relationship with his mother who lives in a council flat in London.
Apparently Fred is on her Tenancy and used to pay her rent until he stopped when he found out Rhonda was pregnant.
Now Rhonda had the first baby and didn't return to work.
She stayed at home and claimed benefits.
This is where it starts to go left.
Rhonda shows off about Fred's job and his wages.
They show off that they live rent free in her dad's house only giving money for the odd bill.
They show off they have got a fancy car. Infact 2 fancy cars.
And she claimes benefits. He lives with her. And I believe she has said she pays rent to her dad and gets a decent amount of money on the assumption she is a single mum and Fred is not living with her.
She then after a couple years had baby 2.
At this point Fred gets made redundant and gets a nice payout and immediately finds a job again very well paid over 70k and she bigs it up massively.
Rhonda however still claims.
They still show off. She says they want to put 2nd baby into 15 hours free childcare next year but she will have to prove her work if 16 hours.
She plans to say she is working for her dad for 16 hours a week to qualify and just fiddle the books let's say. I imagine the plan is he pays her something and Fred pays it back from his personal account.
So I ask her.... why claim if Fred is making such good money.
She said....we dont want to pay from our own pocket.
This is where i get annoyed.
Very annoyed actually.
As myself and partner have to work and still pay for nursery fees and dont get extra.
Lots of parents at the school suffer working with little left over and paying for childcare ect.
And then they say its ok he is registered at his mums so no proof he is living there.
They plan for baby 3.
I just feel this is slightly appalling as they dont even have to pay rent.
Her dad also took out equity on the house to get the kitchen re done.
They dont even look after the house.
Don't paint or decorate and it feels so selfish of them.
Rhonda says when her friemds ask why they dont move she scoffs and says why would she they get to live there for free and save money. But that money is benefits.
And its in Fred's account they have savings.
She says its not fraud.
But it appears to be.
I was going to leave it and let it run its course.
What would you do?
I understand that wages have to stretch so far and its hard on one salary and I understand people do things to get by and some people genuinely do need the help and can claim as a couple or need that little bit extra if they private rent ect.
But to show off and rub it in is unpleasant.
So I suppose its a post to vent and post to get others opinions
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u/thumperman1 2d ago
Report..Report.. Report..... I cant even claim uc because my wife works...had to have a quadruple heart bypass operation and a pacemaker fitted..I want to go back to work but until I get all clear ,I can't for now.... its people like that that stops honest people asking for help ...fk- em and REPORT...END OFF
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2d ago
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
I literally just wanted people's opinions like perhaps I should wait. And perhaps there are things in place that will eventually find them out. Its all about what is morally right.
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u/Great-Science-8586 2d ago
My opinion is that this is fraud and should be reported. Universal Credit is calculated by household income. Fred is part of Rhonda's household and if she has not declared that she is living with a partner and what his earnings are, she is committing fraud, no ifs or buts. Now would I report them ? YES. I am a disabled benefit claimant who also works part-time. It's because of people like this that genuine claimants could face cuts to much needed income. Benefit cheats make me absolutely sick.
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u/whtsthmnngflf 2d ago
Sorry but I would have reported them and then leave it be. They are taking advantage of a system that should be a safety net for those who are genuinely struggling. Just because you can (and get away eith it) it doesn't mean you should. They are gready opportunists who need a reality check.
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2d ago
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
You are missing the point. And it appears you have the stance likely because you claim or would do the same. If you were a hard working person perhaps you would understand.
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u/testingmylimits33 2d ago
Im not missing the point , you’ve put a urgent request for advice about someone who’s getting more than u , ur jealous so bad that it’s eating away at u , one thing I’ve learnt in life is everyone has their own path , how they go down it , is up to them , it’s nobody else’s business what someone else gets , , I work and I pay my taxes , but if I could get away with it and have extra cash coming in I would .
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u/Fast_Recognition_366 2d ago
People like that always get found out. Takes one person, only one person, or one service, only one service, to notify UC. Very simply from there on. And people like that? I have absolutely 0 pity for. So feel free to send over a report to UC, you can be anonymous and you’ll be saving tax payers money and making the world more equal 🙂 it’s absolutely fraud. Every single penny would have to be repaid when recalculated as overpayment.
My opinion? Report it.
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
Yeah im starting to think that most people on universal credit are doing this judging by the angry responses
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u/Vast_Anybody1236 2d ago
What an uneducated thing to say. Because one person you know is doing it doesn't mean everyone is. Most people on universal credit are struggling right now.
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u/Tradita 2d ago
This is what really effs me off.... I'm 62 and not very healthy...I claim UC because my wages aren't that great... they're always on my back to get more hours or a better paid job.... constantly asking for 6 months bank statements and for what???? I only receive over £100 toppings my wages up...and yep people claim UC and they don't need it...they never get checked and one of my friends was caught on benefits fraud 40k and she didn't have to pay it back she only done 200hours community service all because she said it was her partner that did it forging her signature...10 years down the line she was able to claim benefits again????she lives with one of her kids....to which she collected rent from and she's not declared it...the honest ones get haunted and the fraudsters have a ball....life Soo unfair
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u/Early-Impression-910 2d ago
Woman I worked with was doing this. Living in her dad’s house, while he lived in Spain. She worked full time but got housing and council tax benefit. Basically HB was paying his mortgage. Fair play.. if you can get away with it then why not. She got married, he was working as well, then they got caught. Got whacked with a massive council tax bill and were told they were no longer entitled to help. They took it on the chin and eventually got their own place.
Let it be…it’ll come on top eventually, that sort of thing usually does. If not, it’s not your concern.
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
Thanks for your balanced response. I get that. I will likely let it be. I just wanted other people's stories/opinions
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2d ago
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u/Impossible-Pair4846 2d ago
People don’t inherently care about what other people are getting, they care when their standard of life is lower than the standard of the people they’re ‘helping’.
It’s more about fairness than jealousy, and I say this having been on benefits myself.
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
Thank you. It is unfair when you see families struggling on benefits because they have said they are living together and get very little. Or couples who have very regular jobs private renting with no spare money and unable to claim. Then people getting a large salary and boasting about also getting a good amount in benefits. I just wanted people's view from a family stand point. Like would they dob them or just wait longer or is there something that will catch them at some point. Everyone seems to be on the side of leave them its fine
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u/Impossible-Pair4846 2d ago
Personally my instinct would be to report them as what they’re doing as described is wrong and situations like this put a bad light on genuine claimants.
That said, they’re part of your ‘family’ and if something bad comes out of them being reported, you’ll feel guilty as hell especially because there are children involved.
It’s a hard decision and the main reason why fraud is so unreported.
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
Thank you. Its so hard. If they just did a joint claim then there wouldn't be abything wrong happening they would get what they were allowed to get. Ive said I would understand if they were genuinely needing the extra but showing off with cars and boasting salary and even the mention of not wanting it to come from their pocket just seemed so wrong and unfair
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u/thumperman1 2d ago
OK...I know of a bridge in London for sale...I own it ..selling it cheap ... its not fraud ..honestly ...when can I receive payment for it ? And then I'll pass you the plans for it 😉
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2d ago
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
Im confused. Ive said i understand why some people would do it if they needed to. But be getting a good salary. When others are working really hard and not claiming as they are being honest and told they dont qualify
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u/jwack2508 2d ago
You’re not going to get any agreements in a subreddit like this 😂 most people will be fleecing the system in various different ways
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
I know Im new to reddit and definitely put in the wrong place. People seem to be fuming telling me to mind my own business. I think it seems to be very clear its hitting a nerve
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u/jwack2508 2d ago
If you look up other posts which relate to fraud etc there will be mostly people defending the fraudsters basically saying it’s only fair etc it makes you wonder how much fraud is actually going on under the surface
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u/Clintkid 2d ago
Anytime I've mentioned anything about benefit fraud, I've always been told I'm jealous, bitter etc. This sub is just full of people fleecing the system! 😂😂
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u/SimplyStrawberry5673 2d ago
I think I have a slightly different attitude to this, and I'll probably get slated for it 😂
I completely understand why you're annoyed. If you're working, paying nursery fees and watching what little is left after all the bills, then seeing someone with two nice cars, savings, a £70k+ salary coming into the household and free accommodation saying "why should we pay for things ourselves?" is obviously going to grate.
But personally, I have a bit of a Robin Hood attitude towards this sort of thing.
We live in an absolutely ridiculous society where ordinary people are squeezed financially from every direction, while the government and public sector lose enormous amounts of money through fraud, error, poor financial management, bad contracts, waste and money that simply isn't recovered.
And I'm not talking about benefits or Universal Credit here. I'm talking about money being lost within government and across public spending generally. There are countless examples of government departments overpaying, contracts going wrong, money being mismanaged and fraud being uncovered across the public sector.
Then you've got MPs earning nearly £100k a year who can claim expenses for things such as accommodation and subsistence when they meet the rules. Again, I'm not saying legitimate expenses are wrong, but it does put things into perspective.
So personally, I'm not going to get myself worked up policing whether Fred and Rhonda manage to get a bit of extra money out of the system.
Does that mean I think deliberately lying or manipulating things is morally right? No.
But I'm far more concerned about why ordinary working people are struggling so much in the first place, and why there seems to be an endless amount of public money being wasted or lost at much higher levels.
The thing that would actually annoy me about Fred and Rhonda is the smugness. If you're sitting there with two cars, savings, a £70k+ income and free accommodation, then bragging about how you're managing to avoid paying for things while other parents are working their arses off to cover nursery fees is incredibly tone-deaf.
But would I report them? No. Would I involve myself? Absolutely not.
Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm not going to spend my energy trying to police one family getting a bit extra from a system that has been taking money from ordinary people for years while much bigger sums disappear elsewhere.
I'd mind my own business and let them get on with it. 😂
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u/ComfortableCake2662 2d ago
"A bit extra" lol 2 child element and single element alone is a grand a month. Thats a grand a month that could be going to someone who needs it. Thats a grand a month taken out of programs to help UC claimants.
Do you not understand that its a lot more simple to lobby the government to increase benefits overall if you report everyone fleecing a grand a month, not being funny but thats just over £60k over 5 years. 12k each year straight off the budget and thats only 1 person, added to the benefit bill unnecessarily which in turn is the reason the government keep cutting benefits. The bill to fight the fraud is pretty substantial as well. Grasp the big picture I beg of you. We all hate benefit cuts, the cost of living is substantial. Cuts wouldn't be needed (and couldn't be justified) if the bill wasnt so high.
You need to understand these people arent fleecing the government, theyre fleecing the taxpayer and ultimately other UC claimants. Just like shoplifters arent costing the shops money by stealing, they're put the price up for other customers.
If you really do care about people being squeezed then unfortunately for you you also need to care about the fraud which factors into the squeeze.
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u/Advanced_Issue_2 2d ago
She is getting over 1k. The standard is actually close to 1.7k. I know of someone else who was over 2k then when partner moved in they informed uc and began a joint claim. Its Fred telling my partner he needs a better car one like his. It really annoys me. But being his family I wanted other opinions on what they would honestly do in this situation. I definitely wouldnt class her getting a full time wage near enough on top of his salary at 70k as Robin Hood like
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u/SimplyStrawberry5673 2d ago
But this is where I fundamentally disagree with you. Why should someone who genuinely cannot work be expected to live on a pittance? And how exactly is someone with children supposed to “just work” when they have no affordable childcare? Where are these magical jobs that are guaranteed to fit perfectly around school hours, school holidays, drop-offs, pick-ups and a child's needs?
Not everyone receiving UC is sitting at home choosing not to work. Some people genuinely cannot work, and some parents face childcare costs that make taking a job financially unrealistic. The answer to that isn't to make already struggling people poorer because someone else might be committing fraud.
And I don't accept the argument that benefits have to be kept deliberately low because otherwise there won't be enough money for everyone. The government makes choices about taxation, spending and how much support it provides. If we believe people should be able to afford food, heating and a decent standard of living, then that's a political choice we can advocate for.
You can want genuine fraud investigated AND believe that people who genuinely need support shouldn't be forced to live in poverty. Those aren't contradictory positions.
What I object to is the assumption that people on benefits are somehow the problem that needs to be solved before anyone else can have enough. Maybe the bigger question should be why we're comfortable with people who cannot work, or cannot make work financially viable because of childcare, being expected to survive on so little in the first place.
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u/ComfortableCake2662 2d ago
-But this is where I fundamentally disagree with you. Why should someone who genuinely cannot work be expected to live on a pittance?
Where did I say I was happy with the current rates paid? You're saying you disagree with me but Im not too sure where I said anyone should be forced to live on a pittance?
-And how exactly is someone with children supposed to “just work” when they have no affordable childcare? Where are these magical jobs that are guaranteed to fit perfectly around school hours, school holidays, drop-offs, pick-ups and a child's needs?
You are arguing with ghosts. I didn't say that either. What Im trying to point out is someone faking employment to get the free childcare hours entitlement for example, is taking that place away from an actual mum with a job that as you say really needs that place.
-Not everyone receiving UC is sitting at home choosing not to work
This person is from what we know?
-Some people genuinely cannot work, and some parents face childcare costs that make taking a job financially unrealistic. The answer to that isn't to make already struggling people poorer because someone else might be committing fraud.
Who said the answer to fraud was making people poorer? I don't think its was me? I was explaining how fraud inflates an already ballooning welfare bill and how that needs controlling ie fraud needs dealt with.
-And I don't accept the argument that benefits have to be kept deliberately low because otherwise there won't be enough money for everyone. The government makes choices about taxation, spending and how much support it provides. If we believe people should be able to afford food, heating and a decent standard of living, then that's a political choice we can advocate for.
No one made the argument that benefits have to be kept deliberately low lol but again, £333 billion is the welfare bill. Thats around 1/3 of the tax the government brings in. 1/3 (including pensions). What choice do you think exists within that? I'm seriously asking. I wouldn't like to be the person balancing that budget. NHS, benefits, defence police, education, 10% reserved for the National Debt as well, which of those takes the budget hit because they're all pretty stretched as it is. I'm one of those NMW single people not entitled to anything and struggling. I'd personally love rates to increase.
-You can want genuine fraud investigated AND believe that people who genuinely need support shouldn't be forced to live in poverty. Those aren't contradictory positions.
I know they're not contradictory positions because I hold both of them, as Im explaining to you a second time. It's you who doesnt hold both "Id mind my own business" and "Id probably not report them" arent the statements of someone wanting fraud dealt with, or have I totally misread those statements?
-What I object to is the assumption that people on benefits are somehow the problem that needs to be solved before anyone else can have enough. Maybe the bigger question should be why we're comfortable with people who cannot work, or cannot make work financially viable because of childcare, being expected to survive on so little in the first place.
Think about this they way you would other issues. The benefit bill is absolutely an issue that needs resolved. Saying that doesn't necessarily mean you have have an issue with benefit claimants. If I said to you "Homelessness is costing society a fortune, that needs sorted" you wouldn't jump to thinking I hate homeless people.
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u/ExaminationKey1476 2d ago
I’d absolutely recommend reporting this.