HMRC crackdown on overseas benefit fraud

[MustaphaP]

I for one think this is a good thing, and about time too. It sickens me when I seen people in the UK (and here in Spain !) that struggle to claim benefits that they should be entitled to whilst others living in Spain seemingly get away with defrauding the UK system for years.

[OldTimer]

I can only see this as a good thing. I am a great believer in claimg for everything you are entitled to, but at the same time anbody claiming for anything they are not entitled to should be charged as a criminal.

[AJC]

I agree entirely.
If those who moan about expats claiming the WFA here in Spain spent as much time moaning about benefit fraud (At home and overseas) there wouldn't be any such problems.

[BigPete]

The Daily Mail recently estimated that £13.6 Million was spent last year on Winter Fuel Allowance claimed by UK expats ( in all countries ). Although I appreciate that this does not include the "fraud" of other pensions and benefits (not that I even think it IS a fraud !) it represents less than 1% of what the UK reports as being the value of such fraud every year.

[MrGrumpy]

The Daily Mail recently estimated that £13.6 Million was spent last year on Winter Fuel Allowance claimed by UK expats ( in all countries ). Although I appreciate that this does not include the "fraud" of other pensions and benefits (not that I even think it IS a fraud !) it represents less than 1% of what the UK reports as being the value of such fraud every year.

In my opinion this is down to ...

1) Visibility : With it being a small % of overall benefit fraud committed in the UK it is easy for the press to see and make a big issue out of

2) Jealousy : Why should these expats be able to make a claim from sunny Spain, while I'm stuck here in the UK ?

3) Unfounded logic : It is always hot and sunny in Spain, so any such payment to expats should not be required

4) Greed : You have paid into the social security system in the UK for 40 odd years - thankyou very much - but now you have left the Uk you have zero entitlement to claim anything back.

I am at least comforted by the fact that claiming WFA from Spain is NOT fraud - providing the claimant meets the correct criteria.

[AJC]

If the Daily Mail readers get their way, then it is surely just a matter of time before claiming WFA from abroad DOES become fraudulent.

[Wizbit]

Daily Mail readers are never happy unless they have found something and somebody to blame for what they see as being wrong with the country