Quote From Ashleywilliams:
Hi guys,
Thanks for your responses so far.
I'm not actually looking for reassurances around the feasibility of my suggestion in terms of timings, effect on sanity, etc. I'm wondering if it is actually possible to get away with this, or whether you'd be automatically caught. A few people on this forum allude to others being pulled up for doing this but I'm wondering how this happens, is it automatically detected from your tax code or does somebody need to dob you in?
I'm really looking for people who have pulled this off and not be caught, or those that have tried it and been penalised. Failing that, people who have first hand experience of others trying to do this. I've already had 2 great responses off this thread so thanks to those two.
Hmm, I've not ever heard of someone being 'caught' for doing it, I only imagine that could happen if your PhD work was suffering; then someone may do a bit of digging and find out and that could have an impact on your funding (though you'd probably just get told to jack the full-time job in and carry on with your PhD, I don't think they could just take the funding off you).
I don't think the tax man/AHRC and your uni all have each others' phone numbers; I don't think it can be detected from tax codes. For example, I have an ESRC studentship and the part-time jobs I've had in the past never know anything about my funding.
Sorry about all the 'I don't think' lol, I'm not certain on any of it as I've never known it to happen. Basically, as long as neither your PhD or your full-time job suffer, then I don't think anyone would really know. Just remember that your PhD may involve doing e.g research training/attending departmental meetings and going to seminars etc, so if you regularly missed then and had no explanation for it then that could prove tricky.
