Accused for Benefit Claim?

[Gordini84]

Hi

I was recently accused of historic sexual abuse by a family member. The police were involved and my children interviewed. After two weeks I was contacted by the police to tell me that they are not taking the matter any further as the claimant denies making a call and wont sign the telephone transcript.

I recently heard a rumour that she may have made the claim in order to get full benefits and off jobseekers as she suffers from stress, anxiety and is a malignant narcasist, but maybe it wasnt enough to allow her to stop work.

So what Im asking is...is this a thing? Can people get better benefits if they claim they have been sexualy abused? Has my reputation and home life been damaged so someone can get a crime referance number?

What can I do now? A big part of me wants this all to just blow away but I cant stop feeeling angry and upset that shes sat at home reaping the rewwards but Im scared to 'Rock the boat' as I really dont know what she would do next.

[Casehardened]

Hi,

Sorry to read of your experience but welcome to the forum anyway.

I'm not aware of anyone getting increased financial benefits through making a sexual assault but there is a government compensation scheme for victims of crime (google CICA)

This though is a one-off payment rather than ongoing.

However we've had members whose overseas spouses have made accusations in order to be able to be housed and stay in the UK without the encumbrance of having to remain married and it's not unheard of for individuals to falsify accusations just for the 'attention' it brings them!

To sum up, there are numerous reasons for making these sort of accusations apart from them being true......

[Peter1975]

This is a new one on me,

The only extra benefits I know of are those that are the exceptions to the two child limit for child benefit; namely that the third ( or more ) child is the result of a multiple birth or that the third child was conceived because of an act of rape or a "coercive" relationship.

Having twins or sextuplets is clearly provable - the latter, thankfully, doesn't have to be proven by naming a rapist but as I understand, the DWP do require some measures to have been taken to claim in those circumstances - Such as a referral or complaint to a doctor or health professional, Personally, I would rather they were just accepted, I would much rather my tax money went toward paying chancers than it went toward persecuting or prosecuting innocent men.

In the interests of pure speculation and in the absence of any further information; perhaps the accusers claims are tied to some "trauma" that she has has "suffered" and this makes her too fragile for work and is the basis for the claim.

I would strongly advise that you write down a history of your relationship with the accuser just in case it is needed in the future. Details can be important.

You don't appear to have a case for reporting her to police yourself as she fails to meet the target for "wasting police time" nor " perverting the course of justice" and I would strongly advise that you do not do so as it could invite her to make her apparently withdrawn complaint more formal.

I see no reason for you not to go on living your life and enjoying it as best you know how, but some precautions and recording of evidence in your favour would be wise.

[Gordini84]

Hi

Thankyou so much for your replies and advice, I was more wondering if an accusation of abuse would help in a claim of mental health. I.e I can not work because I suffer from anxiety and stress caused by abuse.
I have always had a good relationship with the accuser until recently when we fell out over the care of an elderly relative, she made threats to get me visited by social services which is a threat she kind of carried out by having the police child protection team visit my family. It just seems funny that she was out of work exactly 6 months when this happened and now seems to be on full benefits despite being a qualified and in demand professional. D
oes claiming abuse make you sicker in the eyes of the benefits agency. Should I speak to them and maybe report her? I have no evidence that what Im saying is actually what happened.

[298]

Hi

Thankyou so much for your replies and advice, I was more wondering if an accusation of abuse would help in a claim of mental health. I.e I can not work because I suffer from anxiety and stress caused by abuse.
I have always had a good relationship with the accuser until recently when we fell out over the care of an elderly relative, she made threats to get me visited by social services which is a threat she kind of carried out by having the police child protection team visit my family. It just seems funny that she was out of work exactly 6 months when this happened and now seems to be on full benefits despite being a qualified and in demand professional. D
oes claiming abuse make you sicker in the eyes of the benefits agency. Should I speak to them and maybe report her? I have no evidence that what Im saying is actually what happened.

In short - yes its part of the assessment so very possible

[Peter1975]

Thanks 298,

I did speculate that alleging abuse might be the basis for a benefit claim but I have no real idea about these things.


As for reporting her, I would advise against it.

Firstly, as you say, you have no real evidence but more importantly, if she finds herself being investigated she's going to know just who is responsible and this could cause her to double down and reopen/escalate the abuse complaint.