UK government loses plot on overseas expat benefit cheats

Whilst the government concentrates on holding fast to its frozen pension position, it’s clearly lost the plot on overseas benefit scams including sick pay, disability benefit, child benefit and more.

The latest benefits scam to hit the media involves ’snowbird’ holidays of up to seven months or more spent in Spanish sunshine by UK workers on ‘sickies’ courtesy of their local doctors and taxpayers’ money. The 28-week statutory EU sick pay of £87.55 a week buys a lot of beer in the Costas.

The scam was discovered by UK company managers, who say they have no way to prevent it, and even reveal that sick pay is being claimed by workers holding down temporary jobs overseas whilst covered as sick by the NHS. The scandal erupted just days after the government was forced to admit that £30 million of child benefit payments were sent out of the country to the families of EU workers in the UK.

No doubt, expats struggling to manage on frozen pensions will await with bated breath the next headline telling of permanent migrants in EU destinations who pop back every few months or so to renew their sick notes. Even worse, many benefit scammers take temporary jobs while they are overseas, according to the manager of a logistics company which employs Polish drivers who go sick regularly every year, always with doctors’ notes.

The scam is proving damaging to smaller companies as, since April this year, employers are unable to claim back the sick pay they are forced to pay out. Official guidance states that notes from employees’ GPs are regarded as strong evidence for legitimate absence from work.