Jail for £62,000 benefit fraud

A Leeds woman who received £61,869 in falsely claimed benefits by claiming she was a single mother has been jailed for 18 months.

The 26-year-old claimed that she and her five children lived alone in a house rented from a private landlord, allowing her to claim Housing and Council Tax Benefit between March 2004 and September 2007 totalling £23,098.20. She also claimed Income Support of £38,771.32. She had said her partner and the father of her children did not live there, despite his employer listing him as living there with her and their children.

Benefit cheats should have to pay back more than they stole, and they should not get any more benefits until they have.

26, five children and "living alone"? It does make you wonder what other claims Leeds are paying.