[rach [shikari]]

I feel a friend of mine is committing benefit fraud as she claims JSA and housing benefit for a room she has with her partner in a shared house. He works 39 hours a week. Yet a friend who works 24 hours a week and lives on her own can't claim any of these? Could you tell me if this is true or not? Thanks

[funsongfactory]

I think she's entitled to JSA but housing benefit sounds abut dodgy

[Politics Student]

You can get housing benefits while working.

The rules state that if under 25 you need to live in a bedsit or a room in a shared house.

Now JS if she is unemployed is fine and you don't know the circumstances she put on the form. She may only be receiving a limited amount with her partners income taken into account.

[Politics Student]

Housing benefits - only 1 in 8 are unemployed http://england.shelter.org.uk/news/p...enefit_warning

[rach [shikari]]

(Original post by Politics Student)
You can get housing benefits while working.

The rules state that if under 25 you need to live in a bedsit or a room in a shared house.

Now JS if she is unemployed is fine and you don't know the circumstances she put on the form. She may only be receiving a limited amount with her partners income taken into account.

Shes 23 and he is 30. She let slip a while back that if they asked, they would all say he was living in a room in the attic which is not true.

[FelineCostumier]

Even on minimum wage, with her partner working full-time and them only renting a room (a whole flat would be different) I would hazard a guess that they're not entitled to any means tested benefits.

She could be entitled to contributions based JSA, if she has worked and made enough National Insurance contributions in the prior tax year. Otherwise, again, her partners income would probably mean she isn't entitled to any money.

Housing benefit rules for couples mean that a couple under 35 are eligible for the 1 bedroom rate, a single person under 35 is eligible for the shared room rate.

[Politics Student]

(Original post by rach [shikari])
Shes 23 and he is 30. She let slip a while back that if they asked, they would all say he was living in a room in the attic which is not true.

Most likely because her housing benefit would be lost in that situation until she reaches 25 then it becomes fine.

Honestly, if this person is your friend why would you report her?

It sounds like they are just getting around the rules on housing benefits for the under 25s and I can hardly blame them for that. Chances are the money supports their basic standard of living, as his job is unlikely to be able to cover rent, food and bills.

[FelineCostumier]

(Original post by Politics Student)
Most likely because her housing benefit would be lost in that situation until she reaches 25 then it becomes fine.

Honestly, if this person is your friend why would you report her?

It sounds like they are just getting around the rules on housing benefits for the under 25s and I can hardly blame them for that. Chances are the money supports their basic standard of living, as his job is unlikely to be able to cover rent, food and bills.

She's not just getting around any rules. She's living in a shared house, which is exactly what she's able to claim for until she's 35. The new rules for under 25s are only proposals. She is definitely committing benefit fraud if you ask me, she's living with her partner and not declaring his income. But she is a friend so I don't know that if I were in your position I'd be reporting her.

However, as someone who has had to rely on the state due to losing my job, it really irks me when people are "manipulating" the system in this way. She's exactly the sort of person that the Daily Mail gets on its high horse about and lumps us all in the same basket of scroungers!

[rach [shikari]]

Who has said i've reported her? I never said that!

[FelineCostumier]

I didn't say you did, someone else mentioned it being bad form to report a friend, I was merely agreeing with them that I probably wouldn't report a friend either.

[OU Student]

She may be getting contributions based JSA. Her partners income isn't taken into account for this.

[rach [shikari]]

She has only ever had one job and that was for 2 months, apart from that she hasnt worked since school at aged 16 and college.

[xander93]

(Original post by rach [shikari])
I feel a friend of mine is committing benefit fraud as she claims JSA and housing benefit for a room she has with her partner in a shared house. He works 39 hours a week. Yet a friend who works 24 hours a week and lives on her own can't claim any of these? Could you tell me if this is true or not? Thanks

Well unless you plan on informing the authorities, and thus telling on your 'friend', there's not much point in discussing it.

[Origami Bullets]

Use this calculator, typing in her circumstances as best you can, and bear in mind that you may be wrong about some of her circumstances

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

But is this worth ending a friendship over?