If you are fiddling call me Dave is after you.  :o :o :o

The Prime Minister is also expected to set his sights on thousands of British expats currently claiming benefits while living abroad

According to figures published in January, 10,000 expats are currently claiming up to £163.94 a week in sickness benefit - costing the taxpayer £50 million. 

Last night a spokesman for the DWP said: ‘Increasingly EU rules require us to pay benefits to people living outside the UK and we do not agree with this. We are working hard with other member states to review the eligibility to benefits across  the EU.’  UK Benefit Fraud hotline in Spain 900 554 440.

Source The British Press 7.4.2012

I wonder are they just aiming this at British citizens who are living a better life away from the the UK, the  place were they possible paid taxes etc........  for the best part of there lives, or don't they count all the Poles and Eastern Europeans etc. who are back at home and still  claiming our benefits and health care
Oh :( do I sound a bit bitter, twisted maybe because I have never claimed anything, and still here in the UK working !!!

Yesterday from the British Embassy.

With summer approaching, Iain Duncan Smith, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, is sending a warning to people who commit benefit fraud abroad.

In a visit to the DWP’s Pension, Benefits & Healthcare team in Madrid, Iain Duncan Smith warned British people living abroad not to break the strict rules on what benefits they can and can't claim. He also urged law-abiding Brits to use the dedicated Spanish fraud hotline to report benefit thieves.

People who are pretending to live in the UK to claim benefits, but are actually living overseas cost the taxpayer an estimated £43 million last year. More allegations of people living in Spain whilst continuing to receive UK benefits are received than for any other foreign country, making Spain the number one country for abroad fraud.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith said:

“We are determined to clamp down on benefit fraud abroad, which cost the British taxpayer around £43 million last year. This money should be going to the people who need it most and not lining the pockets of criminals sunning themselves overseas. The vast majority of British people overseas are law abiding, but fraudulently claiming benefits while living abroad is a crime and we are committed to putting a stop to it.”

Since its launch in 2008, over 750 calls to the Spanish hotline have resulted in criminal investigations by fraud investigators in the UK and over 100 people have been sanctioned or prosecuted. 134 cases are currently being investigated and £3.1 million in benefit over payments have been identified and will be reclaimed.

The small Pension, Benefit & Healthcare team based in Spain provide support to the estimated 1million Britons living there. They work with the Spanish Authorities on behalf of the DWP and Department of Health to prevent and detect benefit fraud, ensure correct access to the Spanish healthcare system, and combat misuse of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Abroad fraud involves a range of scams such as people on means-tested benefits going abroad but failing to declare their absence, undeclared property abroad, and individuals working while claiming sickness benefits. In Spain, claims for Income Support or Pension Credit are the most frequently investigated for fraud.  :-X

If you suspect someone of benefit fraud in Spain you can call Benefit Fraud Hotline in Spain on 900 554 440

well god knows how they do it ,my wifes friend is on Jobseekers allowence, and she can be called in to her local job center to attend within the hour, or they cancel your money !!!!he probably doesnt know the facts, only the figures.

I think that the titling is incorrect here as JSA or the Dole is not mentioned in the report.  As a former adviser in the Jobcentre I can confirm that claimants have to be available at short notice and also have to sign on once a fortnight.  If going on holiday they still have to be available and leave a contact address.  I think that the ones who are fiddling the system whilst abroad are those claiming such benefits as disability as they only need to be available once every 6 months for assessment by the DWP doctors.

wrote on Apr 20^th, 2012 at 7:14pm:

I think that the titling is incorrect here as JSA or the Dole is not mentioned in the report.  As a former adviser in the Jobcentre I can confirm that claimants have to be available at short notice and also have to sign on once a fortnight.  If going on holiday they still have to be available and leave a contact address.  I think that the ones who are fiddling the system whilst abroad are those claiming such benefits as disability as they only need to be available once every 6 months for assessment by the DWP doctors.

You mean they have to leave their heavy building work...Dust off their walking sticks and get back into character as the crippled disabled impoverished soul ???
:( :( :(

Yeh and get the fastest OLeary flight back to the UK LOL ! who,s daft here ?

"You mean they have to leave their heavy building work...Dust off their walking sticks and get back into character as the crippled disabled impoverished soul ???"


Quite, right.
I know of at least one who was doing that over here.

wrote on Apr 21^st, 2012 at 10:18am:

"You mean they have to leave their heavy building work...Dust off their walking sticks and get back into character as the crippled disabled impoverished soul ???" Quite, right. I know of at least one who was doing that over here.

Only one !!!!!!!!    :o :o

The issue of people claiming benefits,while working abroad will not stop, while they are being supported by people employing them for cash in hand work.
Also a big part of the problem originates from England,because if we did not employ so many poles and east europeans perhaps our builders would have jobs in the UK.and would not have to work rebuilding derelict Fincas,for the benefit eventually of the Cataloouians !
Just one of the disadvantages of being in the EU.are there any advantages,because they seem to be getting less every day ?

So not only are 'immigrants' responsible for  taking all the jobs and putting English people on the dole they are also responsible for English people acting illegally?  ::)

Incidentally if England wasn't in the EU all us ex-pats enjoying living over here wouldn't be able to do so nearly so easily.

I'm not sure about the UK but certainly in Ireland, the Poles and Eastern Europeans came in during the boom years and did the jobs that the Irish considered beneath them.  When the Gravy Train was running, everyone was happy for the new Europeans to perform what many considered menial or service/hospitality industry jobs.  And they performed them well and showed-up the natives for what they are - lazy whingers with a huge feeling of entitlement and a belief that their skills and labour were worth multiples of what these "lesser" new Europeans could comand.

I suspect the same could be said of the UK situation if the truth be known! ;)

I've worked in benefit fraud for years and somewhat admire the UK government initiative.  I always want to see those get what they're entitled to and vice versa.  I don't think the eastern europeans are any more likely to commit benefit fraud than Irish/UK nationals

Like the earlier poster said - the main culprits are those claiming the "disability" type payments.  It is one of the most abused of all the schemes.

Just remind me how many Poles missed their signing on day when the O'Lairy flight from Luvaplumber to Dublin was cancelled because of bad weather