I fear for old blighty.....scanning this forum, the amount of folk who have distant ties with the UK needing to go back because they can no longer afford to stay where they are and need the support of the uk benefit system...all be it legitimately ( and let face it we all would do it if we were on the bones of our knees), but you do wonder where it will end.

Name and shame them

deleted.

I'd have thought gay and light wasn't a bad thing (at times).

I regret my posting. so please disregard.

Oh give over

sorry dollface - bit sensitive and over stressed right now. feel I divulged too much info.

and I apologise for not being more sensitive. I'm sorry to hear of your brothers issues and wish him only the best for the time he has.

I really have little idea of what the initial poster is talking about. I have been on this forum for some time and have come across very few people returning to the UK to "sponge" as she/he is trying to make out. Some may , of course, but the majority of people on here seem decent enough to me.

Indeed. In fact the majority of people are going to return and immediately start paying taxes to contribute to society. But some Brits do seem to have an obsession with what someone else might be getting away with. Life's too short to spend it being resentful and worried about other people IMO.

Totally agree.

I think that is because they are fed up with having to pay for fraudsters.

Unless of course, you work in an industry that makes a lot of money in developing software to sell to governments and companies, to find these fraudsters; past and present We like the thieves.
When I see people moaning about getting caught for something they did years ago, I wonder if it's one of the projects I worked on. It's amazing how many people answer "No" to the question "have you ever owned property here or in a foreign country" on welfare claim forms and think they will get away with it without getting caught at some time.

Benefit fraud and NHS fraud isn't time barred and repayments can be taken from any future benefits if needs be; even state pension. This government seems to be taking a hardline and prosecuting theives through the courts too and are looking to increase the amount they can take every week in fines, from welfare payments so that the guilty feel the effects of their punishment.

It's big business for the private companies that develop the software. The new Welfare Reform Bill will cut down on a lot of fraud but there are still plenty of 'past crimes' to find.

Why are you even posting this stuff? who, that YOU know of, on here are benefit fraudsters?

I don't know of any actual benefit fraudsters, but in response to the OP's opening posting, there are quite a number of people who say they are moving back to the UK who have little or no resources, no jobs and are depending on parents/relatives etc for sponsorship.

It does make you wonder if the benefits system in the UK encourages these people to move back because they cannot obtain 'help' where they are.

I get what you're saying, totally. I also agree that benefit fraud must be stopped, afterall, why should the decent, honest, hard working tax payers pay for the fraudsters. However, the OP seems a little sinister to me.

Oh, I don't think he is sinister. Just a little concerned that things have got somewhat out of hand in the UK

For example, have just read a posting in another forum whereby a couple have just moved from the US. Wife is UK citizen and, as the husband says, they have not lived in the UK for years (never as a married couple) but now that they are in the UK where do they go to get their child benefit for their two children and JSA for the wife?

It does make you think.