dulwichdahlia

So, a very charming man runs a very successful and well used business, and a woman who says she is his wife, and his children, are often there, and also work in that business? That seems to be what the customers are saying. That's an ordinary situation then. Please correct me if I'm wrong. So, why is no-one able to say - such a simple thing - who was the woman with longish, straight, to try to be more precise - maybe some people would say - ash blonde, dyed blonde, dirty blonde, silver blonde - hair. This person is about the same age as the man who was cutting hair last Saturday, and has introduced herself to various people as his wife, over a long period. She was working behind the cash desk, taking money from all the people who had their hair cut on Saturday 2 August 2008 - up to the point in the afternoon when someone arrived and started asking a few ordinary questions that would certainly be asked in the circumstances. For some reason the woman moved at some speed from behind the cash desk at that point and went to sit on the sofas reading magazines? Just a simple question? If I had a business too, and someone asked that question, I'm sure I wouldn't mind answering it. Would you?

That's correct, Keef. DLA is not a means tested benefit, and everything Sharon said about it is wrong. Firstly, Sharon's claim - verbatim here - DLA is related to incapacity benefit - is completely wrong. DLA is not connected to Incapacity Benefit in any way. As you rightly say, DLA can be awarded to people who are working full time and is not related to what they earn. It was introduced to compensate anyone who has a disability, regardless of their circumstances, for the inevitable extra daily living cost that the disability causes. Incapacity Benefit is what people get if they are agreed to be too sick to work, short or long term. We all pay for it through our NI contributions. Sharon's second claim that people on Income Support don't get DLA is also completely wrong. I have posted the references, to show that she was wrong, above. Sharon's second post also gets the facts completely wrong. DLA does not "come after" Income Support, for the reason already mentioned. They are two completely different types of benefit and there's no order for claiming them. Income Support does what is says, it is means-tested and is payable to people who have very low savings and no or minimal income. A person may get IS first, because they are unemployed, and then claim DLA, if they become disabled, or they may already be receiving DLA and, as you say, in full time work, and then if they become unemployed, for whatever reason, they may claim IS as well. There are lots of people who get two of these benefits, and I am told it is possible to get all three. I don't think you are actually reading my posts. Very clearly, I am not criticising sick and unemployed people, or those who cannot work because they are carers. I'm criticising the hardened organised criminals who target this system to steal every penny they can from it, over long periods, by lying and cheating. The first group - the ill and those who support them - is now going to suffer more than ever, because the government is having to bring in quite drastic measures to try to stop the criminal fraud and an attitude of suspicion hangs everyone - even if you really have an incurable, terminal illness, you will have to jump through the same hoops. It's quite interesting to see the response to this, it's looking like a taboo subject - don't discuss the subject, a little mobbing and insulting of the person who wants to raise the "elephant in the room", muddying the waters. Very interesting, personally, to have witnessed the extent of the fraud that goes on and the open toleration of it. I was going to say that there's a huge waste of dramatic talent locally, as the acting involved is truly impressive - but then I suppose the criminals make a great deal more than most actors do.

That's very obviously not true, "Bellenden Belle". I have replied to several people - to the people who have engaged with the subject of this thread, when I have been on line and free to be able to reply. There would not be any point getting engaged with others, who are not on topic, and making extraneous, irrelevant or mischievous comments. You yourself have made no comment at all about the subject matter, which is important to all of us, and highly topical, but simply posted lengthy personal abuse. Hence, perhaps I could suggest that you take your own advice, and if you have nothing constructive or relevant to say, don't say anything.

Something you can do to discourage organised crime if you live in Southwark:

Sharon_H Wrote: Nor do people on income support get DLA. I understand you > might have a gripe or 2 but get things straight. > DLA is related to incapacity benefit and is > usually paid to people who are seriously ill. Hi Sharon - I have checked what you wrote, above, and I'm afraid you are completely wrong. People on income support do get DLA. Here is a link to the Department of Work and Pensions website: DWP website which I also quote directly here [quote name=Effect on other benefits and entitlements If you start to get Disability Living Allowance it might increase the amount of other benefits or credits you're entitled to' date=' such as Income Support, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit. Disability Living Allowance is normally ignored as income for working out these income-related benefits and credits.] I don't find your other point has any validity either. The point that was being made is that female criminals are getting housing by claiming that they are single, when they in fact have a partner, who supports them financially, and who, in reality, lives in the property with them once they have obtained it by fraud. They have to tell a lot of lies of course, but it seems that for some people, that just isn't a problem. The bare faced, brass necked, deep dyed, non-stop criminal brazen lying that benefit/housing fraudsters get rich by, does not seem to be a problem for them at all, it is their way of life.

Asset Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Cripes, I wish it were as easy now as it was in > the late eighties when I did my sponging of the > state. You sponged the state? Most people just managed a cupboard, or possibly a wall. Any rag-rolling? I don't think it is really difficult to "sponge" though. Looks to be really, really, easy, especially given the high level of toleration by large nos of people who know exactly what the flat/house/business next door is up to. Getting a flat or house, just handed to you, and permanently subsidised, up to 100% - most people can't even afford a deposit, can they? Plus all the income, and no contributions from you, ever....Works out at the equivalent of earning about ?60k gross. Not peanuts, a very large amount of money.

That's just exactly how every criminal justifies their behaviour. There are bigger criminals than I am. Narcissism. Self pity. Why should I have to do it right, when everyone else is thieving/lying/cheating? I'm special, I am. I deserve not to have to go out to work or pay any tax. And then the whole system for supporting the genuinely needy, sick and desperate, which was the hard-built product of a law-abiding society, gets dismantled, due to sheer weight of thieves.

I have sent you a PM, Ms B. And meanwhile, how they work it is this: married couple pretend to have split up. One of them clams housing, and all the benefits, as a single person, while they in fact moved in and have lived together at all times. No-one knows that all the benefit claims are being made for a long time, because outwardly, they are fairly affluent people who live together, socialise, shop and work together. Except the man always leaves unusually early. Once the claims are up and running, the money just keeps on getting paid into the bank account. It's only going to come to light by accident. Here are a few calculations: HB paid weekly 52 weeks x 10 years at an average of ?80 per week (because the rent is already subsidised as a HA rent); plus the amount the Housing Association allocates for maintenance and admin of the property - about ?2000 per annum; Income Support at ?73 per week after the first year: ?52 x ?52 x 1 year plus ?73 x ?52 x 9 years Plus a Disability Premium to Income Support at I believe about ?30 per week: 52 x ?30 x 10 Plus Disability Living Allowance, I think?: minimum about ?30 x ?52 x ?10 Plus Council Tax paid for them at average of ?600 x 10 years Plus I think NI contributions will have been paid all this time to give the person a pension... Anyone want to calculate that? What should happen to people who deliberately set out to do this, and keep on doing it, year after year, while the rest of us subsidise them through tax and NI? Any suggestions?

You know, I've always wondered how rattus rattus keeps such trim, well groomed fur. You just don't get shaggy rats. Curious fact. Can you remember who was on reception, at the cash desk at the back, please? Too long a story to recount in public, but nevertheless, of interest....

I am looking for advice on how to maximise my income. I understand a hot tip is to claim that you are a single, sick and unemployed. This entitles you to a nice housing association flat in a nice leafy area, all repairs and decoration done for free. And then the rent is paid by housing benefit. You don't ever have to pay Council Tax. On top of that you get this lovely weekly payment of Income Support, and the really ace thing is, you also get a supplement for being sick! And on top of that again, Disability Living Allowance? The only thing to remember is not to push your luck too far, and go living with your partner in the said free flat, coming and going in the lovely expensive car you've bought from the proceeds, and then trying to claim yet another benefit - severe disability supplement? - while simultaneously energetically running a local business in full view. Of course if you've been getting away with the whole thing for a decade or so, you might just get so brass necked that you would over do it. And then you'd get found out. How sad. Anyone been running this kind of thing for a decade or more and would like to share just exactly how to go about it? Much appreciated.

HonB, during my lurkings (not Lurkio-ings, a la Frankie Howerd), I thought you said you was bald? Do they provide other services in there then? Financial advice, perhaps?

How nice. Do tell more, is he a local man? Who is the lady receptionist, is she his wife, perhaps?

Gilles Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Does he smoke a cigar and is he rather fat? > > If so it's Ken Clarke's shop He may well smoke cigars and appears to have been living off the fat, fat, fat of the land. Who is the mysterious blonde woman though who was sitting behind the cash desk this morning? A prize is offered for the first person to accurately answer this question.

Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A very lovely Turkish man who greets people as > they pass, I've had many conversations with him > and he is very chatty. Never experienced his > scissor techqieu as you may well guess, but from > people I know who have been in he is pretty good. > > Louisa. Heard they do really good business. It is just men's, I thought I saw a woman getting her hair done in there but I think that may have been his wife - lady with long "blonde" hair?

Does anyone use this barber shop? Do you know who owns it?