Grass up the Benefit Cheats

The Department for Work and Pensions are very big on nailing benefits cheats; as they point out:

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) takes benefit theft very seriously. Although the vast majority of people who claim benefits are honest, those who steal benefits are picking the pockets of law-abiding taxpayers. In 2007-08 benefit thieves stole an estimated £800 million from public funds, that's why we are determined to catch them.

They're using every means at their disposal, including this "Report a Benefit Cheat Online" Form.

Now, do we know anybody who's cheating on their benefits claims? We do, don't we? How about this lady, who, according to the Daily Mail, has been less than honest with her claims:

"The property on which she has claimed thousands of pounds in second homes allowance is actually her primary residence for tax purposes .. The Home Secretary has pocketed £84,000 of taxpayers' money on the home she shares with her husband and their two children in Redditch, her West Midlands constituency.. That was only possible because she persuaded the House of Commons authorities that her main home is actually her sister's spare bedroom in London, where she lodges during the week .. Redditch council has confirmed that Miss Smith pays council tax as if the £300,000 constituency house was her main home."

Dear me. And how about this lady, Baroness Troffin, sorry Uddin; the devils over at Devil's Kitchen have slated her, after the Sunday Times told us that she..

"..has been claiming allowances intended for peers living outside London although she resides only four miles from the Lords .. the baroness bought a two-bedroom flat in Maidstone in 2005 and has named it as her main home to claim almost £30,000 a year in accommodation expenses from the House of Lords .. Residents from the five other flats in the same block as Uddin’s property all say they have never seen her there. They could see through the windows that the bedrooms were unfurnished. "

Not only that, which is probably the kind of mistake anyone could make.. wait .. no it fucking isn't ; but also

"The Sunday Times has challenged Uddin about a further £83,000 worth of expense claims she made before she bought the Maidstone flat in September 2005. She has claimed that her main residence has been outside the capital since 2001 but refuses to say where, despite repeated questions"

CF thinks that both these ladies are -- as well as disgusting thieving troughers -- Benefit Thieves.

So, what are we waiting for: get over to the form , and get typing. But be careful. As the DWP say on their site:

"Please make sure that you are not being watched while you are filling in this form to keep the information you give as confidential as possible.If you print out a copy of the completed form, you should also keep this safe."

Given that one of the ladies is a well-connected Peer, and the other one runs the Police, CF thinks that's wise advice.



Admiring hat-tip to Old Holborn - the man's an evil genius...


UPDATE: better get those forms done quick. According to Iain Dale, the Daily Telegraph has bought the entire disk of MP's expenses. We're going to have a whole load more forms to fill tomorrow.



UPDATE 2: well, now we know we can add McBroon and half the fucking cabinet to the list. CF's fingers are starting to ache from all the angry typing.