Southwark raises target on social housing fraud
As London's largest social landlord, Southwark decided that a strategic approach to tackling fraud was required, setting an ambitious target of recovering 300 properties in 2012/13.By the end of the...
View ArticleHyndburn Council recovers £250k from benefit cheats
Hyndburn Council said it has had an ‘outstanding year’ catching benefit cheats and recovering more than a quarter of a million pounds.The authority reclaimed £264,204 over the past year of housing and...
View Article£13k housing benefit fraud in Rochdale
A fraudster who falsely claimed more than £13,000 in benefits in an elaborate Rochdale housing con has been sentenced.Liam McGinty, 60, claimed £13,872 from Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council after...
View ArticleSome Yorkshire authorities spurn Proceeds of Crime Act against benefit thieves
Fewer than half the councils in Yorkshire are using tough anti-fraud powers to claw back money for the taxpayer from benefit cheats, despite being urged to do so by the Government.Research conducted by...
View ArticleStourbridge mum jailed over £110k benefit scam
A Stourbridge mum who fiddled more than £110k in benefits because she thought she "could get away with it" has been jailed for 15 months. (h/t Dave)Recorder Christopher Donnellan QC told 53-year-old...
View ArticleConditional discharge for ex-police benefit thief
A former police officer was paid more than £6,500 in disability living allowance – despite working as a driver and coffin bearer for a funeral director. (h/t Mick)But Michael Clarke, 55, walked free...
View ArticleSentencing of benefit thieves
Samantha Perks, from Semington, failed to declare £20,000 when she applied for the benefit and received £3,847 between April 2009 and February 2012. Magistrates gave her a 12-month conditional...
View ArticleJail for £119k benefit thief mother
A benefit fraudster was jailed for 14 months after illegally pocketing £120,000 of taxpayers money.Tracey Pembroke, 41, from Thatcham, did not tell West Berkshire Council or the Department for Work and...
View ArticleNo jail for £90k repeat benefit thief
Weighing 28 stone, Tracey Shellard claimed she was so unwell she could hardly walk and struggled even to make a cup of tea.Over the years Shellard, 49, claimed almost £100,000 in benefits by detailing...
View ArticleBenefit thief told to repay at £400 a month
A woman who claimed she lived alone in order to illegally pocket more than £22,000 in housing and council tax benefit has been ordered to repay the money she fraudulently claimed. (h/t Dave)Deborah...
View Article£41k benefit cheat ordered to pay back only £2.5k
A man who made more than £41,000 through benefit fraud will only have to pay back £2,561.Christopher Berriman from Bridlington must pay it back within six months or will be jailed for 56 days.He...
View ArticleHouse in social housing fraud recovered
A man who claimed housing benefit while earning more than £50,000 has been jailed for eight months.Kouadio Williams, 43, fraudulently claimed £32,067 towards his rent while living in Charlton Road,...
View ArticleLight sentence for blatant benefit theft
A man has admitted cheating Basildon Council out of more than £7,000.Kirk Gibson admitted five charges of fraudulently claiming council tax benefit and jobseekers allowance.Gibson was fined £120 for...
View ArticleAnother light benefit fraud sentence in Cornwall
A man from St Ives has pleaded guilty to a £6,300 benefit fraud.Adam James pleaded guilty to two counts of housing benefit and council tax benefit fraud totalling £6,314.44 after failing to promptly...
View ArticleBenefit cheat tycoons to have assets seized in tough crackdown
Fraudsters who fund criminal empires with falsely claimed benefits will have their assets seized, as well as face jail, under sweeping new laws, reports The Express.Teams of elite investigators will...
View ArticleReigate couple jailed for benefit fraud
A Reigate couple have been jailed for a total of 18 months after they were convicted of falsely claiming more than £75,000 in benefits.John Ronald Cattrall, 43, and Julia Jones, 41, were sentenced at...
View ArticleCouncillor demands deterrent sentences for benefit frauds
A benefits cheat who tried to deceive the courts by providing a fake doctor's letter has been ordered to do 150 hours community service. (h/t Dave)Julie Ottewell, from Shipley, had admitted...
View ArticleJail for second benefit theft offence
A 49-year-old Chester man has received a jail sentence after pleading guilty to benefit fraud amounting to more than £8,000.Paul Cooper appeared before Chester Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty...
View Article‘Jiving’ benefit cheat risks losing his home after scam
A benefit cheat caught jiving after claiming he couldn't walk without two sticks faces being made homeless - after being ordered to repay £11,000, reports The Sun.Leonard Priestley raked in £14,025 in...
View ArticlePreston anti-fraud team identifies £460k cheats
Preston Council’s anti-fraud team identified nearly £500,000 of fraudulent benefit claims last year.The team achieved 80 sanctions, including 31 prosecutions, in Preston during 2012/13.They identified...
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