Number of foreigners claiming tax credits 'unknown', ministers admit

[Dedworth]

Ministers have admitted that they do not know how many foreigners are claiming tax credits after the Work and Pensions Secretary said that the system was being targeted by fraudsters from “around the world”.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...ers-admit.html

More insanity bequeathed to us by Labour

[joebloggs]

how long have CON-LIB been in power now, over 2 1/2yrs ?
to get on the housing list, i had to show my passport and other Id, so should anyone claiming any sort of benefits. if you've not paid in, you dont get out.

[bigmarco]

how long have CON-LIB been in power now, over 2 1/2yrs ?
to get on the housing list, i had to show my passport and other Id, so should anyone claiming any sort of benefits. if you've not paid in, you dont get out.

Although I don't doubt that it was initially labours fault the fact remains that Duncan Smith has been doing this job for over 2 years and there comes a point when you cant continue to blame the previous Government. The article indicates that there will be a system change in 2014 when the nationality of claimants will be recorded. Why wait till 2014.
Duncan Smith can quote the amounts of money that are being fiddled but seems impotent to do anything about it. He's spent the last 18 months chasing people on invalidity benefits many of whom are fully entitled to what they are getting.
Time for him to stop blaming Labour and get on with the job he's been given. Stop allowing our hard earned money being given in welfare benefits to people who don't even live here. Personally I don't think the is upto the job

[Dedworth]

Although I don't doubt that it was initially labours fault the fact remains that Duncan Smith has been doing this job for over 2 years and there comes a point when you cant continue to blame the previous Government. The article indicates that there will be a system change in 2014 when the nationality of claimants will be recorded. Why wait till 2014.
Duncan Smith can quote the amounts of money that are being fiddled but seems impotent to do anything about it. He's spent the last 18 months chasing people on invalidity benefits many of whom are fully entitled to what they are getting.
Time for him to stop blaming Labour and get on with the job he's been given. Stop allowing our hard earned money being given in welfare benefits to people who don't even live here. Personally I don't think the is upto the job

Can't argue with that Marco it should be stopped but they're hamstrung by the Limp Dems who like Labour favour the benefit culture to secure subservient sap like voters

[stevewool]

what ever goverment party gets in , it always seems to take the full term to get things moving, but then its too late because someone else has taken over so it starts all over again,

[tiger31]

personally i detest the man he,s at war with the benefit system taking from disability people is in my view scandalous its ok for him and his frickin 6 figure salary he would,nt know or care what its like to live on benefits .yes the system has to be over hauled but to me he,s targeting the wrong people to get at the fraudsters .I believe the family tax credit is far too generous to start with encouraging people to stay at home because its not worth going to work etc overseas familys claiming family credit is another wtf .

[Dedworth]

personally i detest the man he,s at war with the benifit system taking from disability people is in my view scandalous its ok for him and his frickin 6 figure salary he would,nt know or care what its like to live on benifits .yes the system has to be over hauled but to me he,s targeting the wrong people to get at the fraudsters .I believe the family tax credit is far too generous to start with encouraging people to stay at home because its not worth going to work etc overseas familys claiming family credit is another wtf .

There are 39 million disabled in Europe and of those 11 million are in the UK - that suggests to me that there are a large number of fraudsters and lead swingers who need rooting out of the benefit system thus allowing genuine claimants to be fairly treated.

[joebloggs]

There are 39 million disabled in Europe and of those 11 million are in the UK - that suggests to me that there are a large number of fraudsters and lead swingers who need rooting out of the benefit system thus allowing genuine claimants to be fairly treated.

i suppose it comes down to how you or their gov define 'disabled'

In the Philippines the disabled population figure accounts for an estimated 1.23% of the population. [xxx]


5.8% of the Romanian population have a long term disability.

http://www.rollingrains.com/readings...worldwide.html

[Dedworth]

5.8% of the Romanian population have a long term disability. [/I]
[/B]

I saw one of them flogging the Big Issue outside Waitrose in Beaconsfield on Sunday - got the Manager to shift her as she was on their frontage

[lordna]

I saw one of them flogging the Big Issue outside Waitrose in Beaconsfield on Sunday - got the Manager to shift her as she was on their frontage

How glad i am that you are so public spirited over the xmas season to someone who, in order to sell the Big Issue, has to be either Homeless or rough sleeping
In temporary accommodation,In danger of losing a home, Unemployed and facing financial crisis. At least this person was trying to make a living and improve their situation legally. In my opinion that sort of action was both heartless and thoughtless.

[Arthur Little]

I believe the family tax credit is far too generous to start with encouraging people to stay at home because its not worth going to work

Wouldn't say that exactly. Women who choose to have children - and it'd be fair to say MOST who marry do - ought to be ENCOURAGED to stay at home and look after them ... until their offspring have reached school age at least. That, for the most part, was the way it was when I was a child. Indeed, my own mother was ALWAYS at home for my brother and I ... and, in fact, only decided to go back out to work after we were grown up and self-sufficient.

So obviously, my father was the sole breadwinner in our household ... as was the case in the majority of families back in the early days of the Welfare State. Unlike nowadays - FEW "latchkey kids" back then - and I believe my generation were all the better for that!

[joebloggs]

you know lordna, maybe your right in some cases but not all ,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012...ousing-benefit

as for being legal if they are claiming benefits are they telling social services that they are selling the big issue ? lets hope so..the person in the link is earning £100 a wk.

[bigmarco]

There was a time when I'd buy the big issue but not anymore. It's strayed from it's original intention. The turning point for me is when I saw an Eastern European selling it outside Sainsburys dressed in Armani Jeans and Shirt and an expensive pair of trainers. Talking about rubbing your nose in it.
Another time I was out in the Taxi when one of them come up to me on the rank at East Croydon station with pockets full of pound coins and asked me did I need any change. I changed £40 for him and then he got in the Taxi and paid the £12 fare with more pound coins.
It's not right and you can make up all the excuses you want but the majority of them are just taking the

[lordna]

Yet more posts on this forum inciting racial hatred against one particular group of people.

The Big issue exists to help whatever section of the community that might be homeless and give them a LEGITiMATE way of getting a roof over their heads. The sellers are self employed and the system allows them to LEGITIMATELY claim other benefits. The lady in the second reference provided by Dedworth actually says that.

Regardless of this my comment was more directed at the bad non cristian attitude towards a homeless person trying to make a living , particularly at Xmas when kindness and consideration to others less fortunate than ourselves should be ones first thought.

[les_taxi]

Yet more posts on this forum inciting racial hatred against one particular group of people.

The Big issue exists to help whatever section of the community that might be homeless and give them a LEGITiMATE way of getting a roof over their heads. The sellers are self employed and the system allows them to LEGITIMATELY claim other benefits. The lady in the second reference provided by Dedworth actually says that.

Regardless of this my comment was more directed at the bad non cristian attitude towards a homeless person trying to make a living , particularly at Xmas when kindness and consideration to others less fortunate than ourselves should be ones first thought.

Oh dear Lordna you are so ill informed
On five live a few years ago someone who sold the big issue had made something like £110,000 in a year bet he paid no tax!
I see these guys and they are stood there selling a product no-one wants-instead I would give a quid if they helped the little old lady across the road instead of shouting at people and looking intimidating at the general public!
It serves no purpose-how about doing a real job,filling in potholes in the road,.... them get of their lazy .... and do what the rest of us have to do WORK!!!

[lordna]

Oh dear Lordna you are so ill informed
On five live a few years ago someone who sold the big issue had made something like £110,000 in a year bet he paid no tax!
I see these guys and they are stood there selling a product no-one wants-instead I would give a quid if they helped the little old lady across the road instead of shouting at people and looking intimidating at the general public!
It serves no purpose-how about doing a real job,filling in potholes in the road,.... them get of their lazy .... and do what the rest of us have to do WORK!!!

If someone actually made £110,000 selling the big issue then well done them! They are obviously very good salesmen. Earning this much as a self employed person they would have had to produce accounts and probably would of engaged an accountant. ....and YES consequently didnt pay tax or very little.

Given that most people ignore Big Issue sellers this is an amazing result. Selling this magazine is NOT an easy option and sellers have to buy copies of the magazine in the first place.

The most i have ever heard a seller shout is "BIG ISSUE" and as for looking intimidating I dont see that someone would deliberaetly do that in order to sell something thats going to make them a living.

Your right that the magazine doesnt attract the public attention and few people seem to want it, which is why being a seller is NOT an easy option or way to make vast sums of money. It does however serve to provide a little income to help homeless people get a roof over their heads.

There are people in this country less fortunate than ourselves that have to try selling the BI to try and get themselves out of poverty and homelessness. Faced with similar circumstances i would jump at the chance of ANY work to change myself for the better. Getting a job, particularly if you dont have a permanent address, is very difficult when you have few skills and during a recession when jobs are few.

I assume as your title is Les taxi that you probably drive a taxi for a living. Well by comparison i would think your role is a lot easier and more lucrative. A taxi driver just sits in a car all day, takes money and drives and in between fares sits and does nothing! Now let me see who is working harder?

[joebloggs]

Well by comparison i would think your role is a lot easier and more lucrative. A taxi driver just sits in a car all day, takes money and drives and in between fares sits and does nothing! Now let me see who is working harder?

while a big issue seller stands around all day , Les is more skilled as he can drive, has higher costs, has to pay for his car, petrol, radio rental? , insurance, road tax , tax, nat insurance etc what costs does a big issue seller have but the cost of buying the magazine ?

nothing wrong with helping people out who have fallen on hard times, it can happen to anyone, but standing around all day holding a magazine when they could be working full time and earning a better wage.

[bigmarco]

If someone actually made £110,000 selling the big issue then well done them! They are obviously very good salesmen. Earning this much as a self employed person they would have had to produce accounts and probably would of engaged an accountant. ....and YES consequently didnt pay tax or very little.

Given that most people ignore Big Issue sellers this is an amazing result. Selling this magazine is NOT an easy option and sellers have to buy copies of the magazine in the first place.

The most i have ever heard a seller shout is "BIG ISSUE" and as for looking intimidating I dont see that someone would deliberaetly do that in order to sell something thats going to make them a living.

Your right that the magazine doesnt attract the public attention and few people seem to want it, which is why being a seller is NOT an easy option or way to make vast sums of money. It does however serve to provide a little income to help homeless people get a roof over their heads.

There are people in this country less fortunate than ourselves that have to try selling the BI to try and get themselves out of poverty and homelessness. Faced with similar circumstances i would jump at the chance of ANY work to change myself for the better. Getting a job, particularly if you dont have a permanent address, is very difficult when you have few skills and during a recession when jobs are few.

I assume as your title is Les taxi that you probably drive a taxi for a living. Well by comparison i would think your role is a lot easier and more lucrative. A taxi driver just sits in a car all day, takes money and drives and in between fares sits and does nothing! Now let me see who is working harder?

Took me 2 years of unsubsidised study to get my Taxi Drivers licence. Every three years I have to pay over £300 and undergo a CRB check just to keep my licence. I'm all for a reasoned argument but your away with the fairies. A Taxi driver has no benefit cheque to fall back on when business is quite as it is at the moment. I assume you must live a sheltered existence down there in the leafy suburbs. London is full of Big Issue sellers, Windscreen washers and Car washers and they all come into the same category, Eastern European, cash in hand either claiming benefits or illegal. I don't consider it as inciting racial hatred to make a statement that is completely true. Come up and see for yourself sometime.

[Dedworth]

If someone actually made £110,000 selling the big issue then well done them! They are obviously very good salesmen. Earning this much as a self employed person they would have had to produce accounts and probably would of engaged an accountant. ....and YES consequently didnt pay tax or very little.

Given that most people ignore Big Issue sellers this is an amazing result. Selling this magazine is NOT an easy option and sellers have to buy copies of the magazine in the first place.

The most i have ever heard a seller shout is "BIG ISSUE" and as for looking intimidating I dont see that someone would deliberaetly do that in order to sell something thats going to make them a living.

Your right that the magazine doesnt attract the public attention and few people seem to want it, which is why being a seller is NOT an easy option or way to make vast sums of money. It does however serve to provide a little income to help homeless people get a roof over their heads.

There are people in this country less fortunate than ourselves that have to try selling the BI to try and get themselves out of poverty and homelessness. Faced with similar circumstances i would jump at the chance of ANY work to change myself for the better. Getting a job, particularly if you dont have a permanent address, is very difficult when you have few skills and during a recession when jobs are few.

I assume as your title is Les taxi that you probably drive a taxi for a living. Well by comparison i would think your role is a lot easier and more lucrative. A taxi driver just sits in a car all day, takes money and drives and in between fares sits and does nothing! Now let me see who is working harder?

Distasteful comments from a preaching apologist who sides with shysters and illegals then slurs the employed and self employed taxpayers who fund these parasites existence in the UK

[les_taxi]

If someone actually made £110,000 selling the big issue then well done them! They are obviously very good salesmen. Earning this much as a self employed person they would have had to produce accounts and probably would of engaged an accountant. ....and YES consequently didnt pay tax or very little.

Given that most people ignore Big Issue sellers this is an amazing result. Selling this magazine is NOT an easy option and sellers have to buy copies of the magazine in the first place.

The most i have ever heard a seller shout is "BIG ISSUE" and as for looking intimidating I dont see that someone would deliberaetly do that in order to sell something thats going to make them a living.

Your right that the magazine doesnt attract the public attention and few people seem to want it, which is why being a seller is NOT an easy option or way to make vast sums of money. It does however serve to provide a little income to help homeless people get a roof over their heads.

There are people in this country less fortunate than ourselves that have to try selling the BI to try and get themselves out of poverty and homelessness. Faced with similar circumstances i would jump at the chance of ANY work to change myself for the better. Getting a job, particularly if you dont have a permanent address, is very difficult when you have few skills and during a recession when jobs are few.

I assume as your title is Les taxi that you probably drive a taxi for a living. Well by comparison i would think your role is a lot easier and more lucrative. A taxi driver just sits in a car all day, takes money and drives and in between fares sits and does nothing! Now let me see who is working harder?

I'm looking forward to putting you straight on the above later

[les_taxi]

If someone actually made £110,000 selling the big issue then well done them! They are obviously very good salesmen. Earning this much as a self employed person they would have had to produce accounts and probably would of engaged an accountant. ....and YES consequently didnt pay tax or very little.

Given that most people ignore Big Issue sellers this is an amazing result. Selling this magazine is NOT an easy option and sellers have to buy copies of the magazine in the first place.

The most i have ever heard a seller shout is "BIG ISSUE" and as for looking intimidating I dont see that someone would deliberately do that in order to sell something thats going to make them a living.

Your right that the magazine doesnt attract the public attention and few people seem to want it, which is why being a seller is NOT an easy option or way to make vast sums of money. It does however serve to provide a little income to help homeless people get a roof over their heads.

There are people in this country less fortunate than ourselves that have to try selling the BI to try and get themselves out of poverty and homelessness. Faced with similar circumstances i would jump at the chance of ANY work to change myself for the better. Getting a job, particularly if you dont have a permanent address, is very difficult when you have few skills and during a recession when jobs are few.

I assume as your title is Les taxi that you probably drive a taxi for a living. Well by comparison i would think your role is a lot easier and more lucrative. A taxi driver just sits in a car all day, takes money and drives and in between fares sits and does nothing! Now let me see who is working harder?

Right Lordna let's take this in order
I will try not to get to personal as I've nothing against you personally but I find you incredibly naive
Ok regarding Big Issue seller who made all that money do you really think he paid out anywhere near what he earned?
The big issue sellers pay for the magazines can't remember how much but say it was 60p and sold for a £1 he makes 40p at time-but remember most people especially the little old dears give him a pound and don't take the mag!
I bet he declares that to his big issue supplier and the taxman (not)
I heard one big issue seller swearing at someone as he declined to buy the rubbish,at the least some are sarcastic if you refuse.
The whole big issue thing is a waste of time-what would happen if we all decided to give up our "proper jobs" and sell it?
What would the country produce-who would make goods,put out fires,save lives if we all did that.
Our roads are knackered,always rubbish to clear up,maybe form groups to ensure children walk safely to school-i'm sure grateful parents would happily pay a £1 for not having to get the car out every morning-plus it benifits the rest of us.
I will never ever accept the big issue is anything more than a cop out,sat on a bloody stool eating a Marks and Spencer sandwich then getting a taxi home -unbelivable
Right on to Les the lazy Taxi driver
Ok here are a few figures for you to come and join me in my lazy dream filled day.
Ok lets start with a decent car-couple of years old form mondeo approx £9000 plus kitted out to be a taxi another £500
Now move on to taxi plate I have approx £11,000 at todays rates
Ok now the cost of becoming a shareholder where I am now £18,500
Right lets add on fuel per year plus repairs,crb checks,local council licencing etc etc say another£10,000
Oh nearly forgot my rent to operate within the office £8,000
Right thats most of my costs now Lordna do you think I can potter round all day picking up an odd fare and cover all my costs and make an operating profit and pay my tax?
Luckily i work hard sit maybe 5 mins between jobs-sometimes not sit at all as we are the top local company.
i work probably 6 days a week often 10 hours per day sometimes more.
I have to contend with drunks,threats of violence,idiots,carrying little old lady's shoppin up 3 flights of stairs,people not being there when i have driven 5 miles,runners,pukers,drunk women unable to stand,blokes wanting to have a go,(even had gun in car brandished about)
Much easier life than a Big Issue seller as you can see
No car to day it was my compliance test and mot and a warning light came on due to faulty a.b.s sensor so no earnings today and probably not til late tmrw
MAYBE I CAN SELL A FEW BIG ISSUES WHILE I WAIT

[raynaputi]

I guess Keith should change his work from running websites and horse racing to selling the Big Issue!!! Way easier compared to what he does now!

Obviously, he would get more money and more benefits..he's spending most hours of the day creating and running websites, watch horse racing from the start of meeting till the last one at night and then put all the results and anything related to horse racing on his websites, pay money for all the servers and try to look for ones which has better offers, write articles for his websites that would probably earn us only few pennies from advertisements, and yet these Big Issue sellers are just standing at street corners, yelling Big Issue, and then get benefits!

Keith is on DLA and yet chooses not to milk the system by working every damn minute of the day just so we can have money! We haven't even had time to go places (other than Liverpool every week to visit his kids and parents, but then he still works there at his parents house after having dinner) even just here in UK as we needed money for that (and for the bills and for future expenses in visas & flights) and Keith needs to be in front of his computer and work his ass off with only eating, bathing and sleeping time as a break! Now who has the hard job compared to these Big Issue sellers???? Keith's work is not as easy as others think here.

Okay rant over!!!

[bigmarco]

I guess Keith should change his work from running websites and horse racing to selling the Big Issue!!! Way easier compared to what he does now!

Obviously, he would get more money and more benefits..he's spending most hours of the day creating and running websites, watch horse racing from the start of meeting till the last one at night and then put all the results and anything related to horse racing on his websites, pay money for all the servers and try to look for ones which has better offers, write articles for his websites that would probably earn us only few pennies from advertisements, and yet these Big Issue sellers are just standing at street corners, yelling Big Issue, and then get benefits!

Keith is on DLA and yet chooses not to milk the system by working every damn minute of the day just so we can have money! We haven't even had time to go places (other than Liverpool every week to visit his kids and parents, but then he still works there at his parents house after having dinner) even just here in UK as we needed money for that (and for the bills and for future expenses in visas & flights) and Keith needs to be in front of his computer and work his ass off with only eating, bathing and sleeping time as a break! Now who has the hard job compared to these Big Issue sellers???? Keith's work is not as easy as others think here.

Okay rant over!!!

Well said Rayna
I do feel Keith is slightly more fortunate than most of us though as he gets to spend 24/7 with his Wife/Admins assistant

[raynaputi]

Well said Rayna
I do feel Keith is slightly more fortunate than most of us though as he gets to spend 24/7 with his Wife/Admins assistant

Well, would you call it fortunate having someone to annoy you every second of everyday? hahahaha.. I know I annoy him a lot of times and I'm so thankful he's so patient with me..

[tone]

Going back to the topic in question I believe having additional information added to databases (like recording nationality of claimant) means that the huge DB's need to be re-worked.
This goes in the form of a change request with the outsourcing organisation (DWP use ATOS i believe) and they will no doubt take some time and ask for several hundred grand to do the work, test it and implement it, which is why it will take another year!

Having worked in some of these organisations I know how long these things take and how ridiculous the change controls are and lots of people have to rob the taxpayer some more..

[joebloggs]

Going back to the topic in question I believe having additional information added to databases (like recording nationality of claimant) means that the huge DB's need to be re-worked.
This goes in the form of a change request with the outsourcing organisation (DWP use ATOS i believe) and they will no doubt take some time and ask for several hundred grand to do the work, test it and implement it, which is why it will take another year!

Having worked in some of these organisations I know how long these things take and how ridiculous the change controls are and lots of people have to rob the taxpayer some more..

surely they should have had some fields spare when they design the database, just a matter adding a bit of code and sticking a label on the screen and selecting nationally from a drop down menu

[Dedworth]

How about these parasites

They're the family with the Mercedes in the drive getting £42,000 a year in benefits. Scroungers?


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz2GwItgaql

[Michael Parnham]

How do foreigners know what tax credits are? cos I don't.

[joebloggs]

How do foreigners know what tax credits are? cos I don't.

because many leaflets advising on benefits are translated into different languages, and i think they've taken all the questions out of the 'life in uk 'test now which had anything to do with benefits so some people are not aware.

you should not be able to claim tax credits unless your a British citizen or have ILR. those from outside of the EU cant, i know many hard working Filipinos who struggle with kids, paying their taxes but cannot claim ILR or any benefits until they been in the UK 5yrs, yet EU citizens can, how is that fair

[raynaputi]

because many leaflets advising on benefits are translated into different languages, and i think they've taken all the questions out of the 'life in uk 'test now which had anything to do with benefits so some people are not aware.

...

That's supposed to be the new changes, but they haven't released yet when would it start and haven't published new books for the changes yet.