hi,
I am supporting a lady who has been investigated for benefit fraud. She claims (and i believe her) to be innocent although accepts she has been naive.
She is a single mother of 3. She lived with the father up until just after child 2 was born. They split up following his affair.
He spent some time sleeping on friends floors and now she suspects he has been living with travellers.
they remain somewhat amicable and he will see the children irregularly but reasonably often. As happens, a night of seeing the children and then being rather more charming than normal and Child 3 was conceived. She put him on the birth certificate as she did with her sons. she gave her adress for him.
She has been investigated for benefit fraud because she has calimed as a single person since their relationship broke down.
But because he has no fixed abode he has continued using her adress for things like car insurance. She has admitted that as she has a very poor credit rating she has used his name for things like catlogues of internet accounts.
They are now taking her to court for benefit fraud as they are refusing to accept that he does not live with her as her partner. They believe that she has been claiming fraudulantly as a single person.
She has had her benefit claim stopped and told that until she has been through the court process she is unable to claim again.
She is still recieving her child tax credits but as you can imagine this is a struggle.
She cannot get legal aid due to it being a benefit fraud case.
IS there anyone willing or able to offer some advice for her please? She is aware of my posting and given permission for me to do so.
TIA
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Legal matters
can anyone advise about charge of benefit fraud please.
yogididabooboo · 18/02/2011 17:59
They called her in for an interview and have explained that they can find no details of her partner anywhere but her adress.
As i say, she does accept that she has been ridiculously naive and maybe a tad understatement daft.
They have now written to her to say that she will be taken to court for the fraudulant claim of Income support and that they are seeking the repayment of £16k.
She is also worried that if teh income support claim is considered false then it will negate her housing benefit and council tax benefits as well, thus aking the repayable amount something like £60k. 
She has no income other than the benefits.
When she spoke to the CAB they told her that she couldn't get legal aid due to it being a government agency taking her to court.
That is very good news that she can indeed get some legal advice. Though i agree it doesn't look good.
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