Please don't feell bad, I asked for advice and you were kind enough to help. Thanks

Thanks for Link, but I can't read it, It's too scary. I'm 7 months pregnant I can't sleep or eat.

He is no longer claiming the benefit they are reviewing and hasn't since 2013. He now works full time and we only claim CTC so that is up to date. Thanks for link re debts, I have one credit card debt which is being paid so we are ok on that as well. He will be contacting them tomorrow, it's just knowing what to say, is yes I messed up I'm sorry can we work out what I owe and how to pay it back enough to avoid prosecution? That's what's scares me

No you haven't been blunt I asked for advice and that's just what you have given me, we have worked hard to get ourselves out of debt, working and claiming properly so this will never happen again. I'm not sure what is the way forward however,

Your replies whilst helpful, have scared me in all honesty. My naivety is embarrassing. Yes we need to sort this now, from looking at the information you have supplied a jail term could be applicable. The length of time was 3 years, it wasn't to get more money, no lavish lifestyle no holidays etc, it was just getting by and giving me a chance to clear my debts. I guess in a warped way which looking back now is ridiculous since we didn't claim for the correct benefits which would have financially put us in the same situation it didn't really feel like we were claiming any more than we were entitled to, yes I realise that sounds incredibly stupid now. I am worried and yes we have no one to blame but ourselves but court and jail time mean potentially my BF losing his job and I'm guessing we then find ourselves with no job and no benefits.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, thank you for the link, in a nutshell we are going to be prosected, because we should have claimed properly.

Mickey Thank you for taking your time to reply I do appreciate it. I wasn't claiming any benefits for my daughter although I would have been entitled to ctc for her. I was living with parents rent free but used his address as she is unable to receive mail where she lives. He was claiming just for him and his children,when working out the overpayment do they take into account what we were entitled to if we were claiming as a couple, from using various websites today we would have still been entitled to full rent being paid and most of our council tax as well as CTC and wtc.

Hi Thanks for your reply, from the information you kindly supplied the situation looks bleak, I don't have any proof I wasn't living with BF, I was staying there more than I probably should and I guess to all intents and purposes I was living there just that I was barely earning enough to cover my debts I didn't contribute to paying his bills. We are not being investigated yet, they have just reviewed his claim. I guess at the time I just thought since he was getting the same money we would of got if we claimed jointly we wernt getting anymore than we were entitled too, yes I agree that's stupid and naive. If we just admit yes I did move in is that admitting to fraud? Do we have to pay back the entire amount he received ? Would they look at what we would have received in benefits based on my wage and would we have to pay back the difference? Feel so stupid, thanks for your help

Hi Sorry I have edited my post to hopefully make more sense, We didn't claim together or advise them I moved in till 2012, they say because I used the address from 2009 I moved in then and that I used it as a residential address not correspondence address, I didn't realise there was a difference.

Hi I wonder if anyone can help, been really stupid and moved in with partner in 2012, I was due to move in in 2009 but at last minute bf changed his mind, all mail was set up to come to his address, doc registered at his address etc. BF was claiming widowers pension and CTC for his 2 children, getting rent and council tax paid, I was working but neither one of us claimed for our child together my wage was £700, I had a large amount of debts car loan credit card etc so all my wage was used up on my debts. We have had letter from DWP saying they believe us to be living as a couple from 2009 because I used address for child benefit. We have contacted them to advise that I was living with my mum, but as she lives in a caravan park I used his address for my mail, they have said to get a letter from my mum to confirm this. However since all mail is for his address, I was registered at doctor etc I don't see how they will believe it as I wouldnt. They said not to worry about prison fraud etc etc but don't believe them, if they decide they don't believe us and that we were living together from 2009 and that we have to pay money back do they take into account what we should have got if we had claimed together ? sorry if I doesn't make sense, we claim ctc now as partner works full time and I am 7 months pregnant so this is really worrying me. Thanks in advance for replies