Families where no one has ever worked, nor wanted to, and claim all the benefits they can.

I have huge respect for you DJ,

This makes benefit fraud seem insignificant.

but here I disagree. It is clear in my mind that tax evasion and fraud is much worse- but 2 wrongs never make a right. Out of respect for those who truly deserve help and support- we should have zero tolerance for benefit fraud.

I am not saying that benefit fraud is right, granjura. I think it is wrong to pursue benefit fraudsters yet at the same time not ensure that those who can claim do not. It seems an imbalance to me, when £13 billion+ is unclaimed, but benefit fraud is only £1.2 billion. Ageuk says that £3.7 billion is unclaimed by the elderly.
It would be interesting to know how much is spent on tracking benefit fraud by the DWP, but at the same time, they are cutting back on HMRC so tax evasion and fraud are still rampant, as you say.

It's the tax credit problem all over again. Taking money away from those who can do nothing about it, and not bothering about the rich.

I know of someone whose "benefits" are paltry and whose mental health issues are long-standing and crippling. I know that she does one small cleaning job for which she is paid in cash. Her earnings are so tiny that she wouldn't have to pay tax but, strictly speaking, she is a benefit fraudster. The amount is so small that the cost of administration to recoup the few pounds or prosecution would far outweigh the purpose of doing so. Having a little job gives structure to her week and some sense of dignity. I have no intention – and never have had – of reporting her to authorities.

I also know of someone who has defrauded the system of as much benefit as possible for many years. (The source of this information was completely reliable.) Unfortunately, I do not know the surname or address and it is probably far too late and vague for me to do anything to rectify the situation. However, I do still resent the fraud.

www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/27/false-benefit-fraud-allegations

Interesting figures on benefit fraud.

I was about to put the same link on, durhamjen. Unfortunately, most of the media will ignore this report as facts like these don't sell newspapers.

There needs to be a proper debate about it in parliament, kate.
There are so many people who still believe the scare stories about benefit fraud, it needs to be aired.
I love the DWP response.

The response to the freedom of information request from the DWP states: “It should be noted that members of the public, as they are not trained to detect benefit fraud, are not always correct in their identification.” A spokesperson added: “Information from the public about suspected benefit fraud saved the taxpayer around £180m last year. Calls to the fraud hotline are vital – we take benefit fraud very seriously, so whenever we receive an allegation we investigate and, if necessary, prosecute and recover overpaid benefits.”

85% are not correct!
DWP underpays more than the amount fraudulently claimed.
It's DWP fraud. Iain Duncan Smith needs to be held to account for the hash he has made of that department.

Only a piddling £180 million. Hardly worth the effort

What do you mean, Anya?

"Government statistics show fraudulent claims accounted for 0.7% – or £1.2bn – of total benefit expenditure in the financial year 2012-2013. An estimated £1.6bn was underpaid to claimants by the DWP. In the same year a further 0.9% of total benefit expenditure was overpaid following claimant errors, which occur when claimants fail to report changes in their circumstances or the information provided is incomplete or inaccurate but there is no fraudulent intent."

An ipsos mori poll showed that the public believe that 24% of benefits are claimed fraudulently.
That's why there should be a proper debate in parliament about it.

Didn't you just post the following

"Information from the public about suspected benefit fraud saved the taxpayer around £180m last year"

What part of 'saved the tax payer around £180m' am I not getting DJ

What is hardly worth the effort?

Hardly worth going after those who deliberately make fraudulent claims .....I get the impression you dismiss this as pin money!

Hardly worth people getting hot under the collar about.

Hardly worth even mentioning.

Hardly worth worrying about in the scale of things.

Take your pick.

I'm sat here with my coat on waiting to go out but I can't until the dishwasher finishes its cycle. Never use an 'echo' setting, it takes forever.

Apropos to nothing

Hmm - and I wonder how much the investigation of the 85% of incorrect accusations of benefit fraud costs the taxpayer. I'd like to see that figure offset against the £180m before the DWP talks about 'savings'.

£180 million. So if hardly anyone is fiddling benefits, a very small number are fiddling quiet a lot. Or have I missed something, I never was very good at maths, it would be easy to confuse me with figures if they wanted to.

Completely wrong, Anya, as usual.
Why do you say I dismiss it as pin money?
I think it ought to be debated in Parliament, that the DWP have got it completely wrong.
They are demonising people who claim fraudulently by making it appear that it is far worse than it is, that's what I mean.
I think there should be a fuss made because there is more money not paid by the DWP.
IDS has made a hash of the department. He's made a hash of everything in the department, and demonised all claimants.
It is worth making a fuss about.
140,000 claimants have lost their motability vehicles. 60% of the claims are overturned.

There is something completely wrong about the way the DWP is run. It needs to be looked at. Any new information that comes into the public domain about this department is relevant and important.

The DWP would want people to have your point of view on this. It will let them carry on with the shambles.

"People believe 27 per cent of benefit claimants are committing fraud, when the real figure is just 0.7 per cent. In the case of sickness/disability benefits, it’s 0.4 per cent.

Why do people believe this? They get it from the media – from papers like the Express and the Mail, and TV shows like Benefits Street and all the other “poverty porn” programming.

And where do the media people get their ideas? From the Conservative Government – of course.

Boil it all down and you get a “make-work” scheme in which the Conservative Government – through the media – creates an atmosphere of distrust against people on benefits, especially the sick and disabled, leading to an escalating number of inaccurate allegations of fraud against claimants.

That’s why Mr Farron’s comment is important, even though he’s partially mistaken.

The idea isn’t to turn people against the welfare state.

It’s to turn people against the sick and the disabled. Divide and rule."

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2016/02/28/the-adam-smith-institute-is-now-willing-to-argue-that-those-on-benefits-are-genetically-different-to-the-rest-of-us/

I hope none of you are on benefits. If you are, do not read this link.

Message deleted by Gransnet for breaking our forum guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

Eh?

She's talking about me Ana - I'm not allowed to have an opinion or voice anything against dearest DJ

Oh Jura shame on you.

Sometimes GN is beyond irony. Sigh's again.