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

[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,

[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

[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.

[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.

[Dedworth]

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.

As I've told you before these people are not homeless or destitute they are part of criminal networks and the proceeds from their activities are funnelled back to Romania where they are used to buy large gaudy houses and Mercedes Benz cars. In fact the car I saw the Waitrose seller being picked in was from the same manufacturer.

You seem very short on facts these links should help to enlighten you

Romanian immigrants 'sell Big Issue to gain benefits'

Romanian immigrants are becoming Big Issue sellers in order to gain state benefits through a tax loophole, it has been disclosed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-benefits.html

Who should sell the Big Issue?

With Roma making up 80% of Big Issue vendors in some areas, does it matter who sells the magazine for homeless people?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00nhgxf

ACTION ON BIG ISSUE 'BEGGARS'

http://www.kirriemuirherald.co.uk/ne...ggars-1-261198

Happy New Year to you and be alert when using an ATM

[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.

[Dedworth]

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.

With the proceeds going to organised criminal gangs

[lordna]

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.

Thats the whole point of the BI is that its low outlay to make money and be self employed WITHOUT having a home address. You cant get anormal job unless you have an address!

[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.

[joebloggs]

Thats the whole point of the BI is that its low outlay to make money and be self employed WITHOUT having a home address. You cant get anormal job unless you have an address!

but the lady in question here wanted to claim housing benefit so she must have had an address,

[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

[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..

[lordna]

With the proceeds going to organised criminal gangs

I should think that, if this is actually true, a very small percentage of Big Issue sellers are working for an organised criminal gang, and if so the management of said organisation would be doing their utmost to make sure it doesnt happen.

On the other hand there are plenty of corrupt taxi and minicab drivers ready to take your money, fiddling meters, sexually assaulting passengers etc that you hear about in the news. However that doesnt stop me or others taking a taxi or minicab as the vast majority are of course honest. Similarly BI sellers are probably on the whole honest with just a minority who attract the attention of the gutter press.

Dedworth just because i have an opinion which differs from yours or others please respect that as my opinion without making insulting comments. I aim not to insult anyone here and expect the same. If my comments offend anyone personally then i apologise as that is not my intention. I just like to see that a more balanced view is presented on issues voiced here in the forum.

[fred]

I should think that, if this is actually true, a very small percentage of Big Issue sellers are working for an organised criminal gang, and if so the management of said organisation would be doing their utmost to make sure it doesnt happen.

On the other hand there are plenty of corrupt taxi and minicab drivers ready to take your money, fiddling meters, sexually assaulting passengers etc that you hear about in the news. However that doesnt stop me or others taking a taxi or minicab as the vast majority are of course honest. Similarly BI sellers are probably on the whole honest with just a minority who attract the attention of the gutter press.

Dedworth just because i have an opinion which differs from yours or others please respect that as my opinion without making insulting comments. I aim not to insult anyone here and expect the same. If my comments offend anyone personally then i apologise as that is not my intention. I just like to see that a more balanced view is presented on issues voiced here in the forum.

That sounds fair enough to me.
I do think however that you tend to be a bit liberal with the "R" word accusations though..
Just saying!

[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..

[Dedworth]

Dedworth just because i have an opinion which differs from yours or others please respect that as my opinion without making insulting comments. I aim not to insult anyone here and expect the same. If my comments offend anyone personally then i apologise as that is not my intention. I just like to see that a more balanced view is presented on issues voiced here in the forum.

Insinuations of stirring up racial hatred along with holier than thou preachings about the season of goodwill and Christian attitude are not insulting to me - it's all water off a ducks back. I simply regard them as the ramblings of a naive, blinkered but no doubt well meaning soul oblivious to the vicious, nasty, criminal germs who have been allowed into our once great country.

It says something that the Met Police saw fit last summer to draft in their counterparts from Romania :-

"The 10 officers will work with Scotland Yard over the next three months to counter the wave of petty crime throughout the capital.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...d-beggars.html

You're unable to distinguish between racism and criticism/concern over foreign ne'er-do-wells residing in the UK. Never done it before but I'm contemplating using the ignore button

[joebloggs]

Dedworth just because i have an opinion which differs from yours or others please respect that as my opinion without making insulting comments. I aim not to insult anyone here and expect the same. If my comments offend anyone personally then i apologise as that is not my intention. I just like to see that a more balanced view is presented on issues voiced here in the forum.

something were all entitled to, and for standing up for yours