Janet Bannerman from Carshalton claimed she had no income but in fact had over £13,000 in student loans and grants. She was caught when Sutton Council officers matched data to show she was fraudulently claiming income support and housing benefit.
Over in St Albans Jeannette Cavanagh has been given a two year suspended sentence after falsely claiming housing benefit, council tax benefit, income support and carers allowance worth nearly £21,000.
As well as the suspended sentence, she was ordered to undertake just 150 hours of unpaid work and placed under a supervision order for 24 months. Costs of £250 were awarded to the district council and £115 to the DWP.
She began claiming housing and council tax benefits and income support when her job with a cleaning company ended. But at a taped interview with investigators from the DWP and the council in October 2007, she admitted she had been working for Friends Provident on a self-employed basis since 2000. She conceded that had she declared the income to the DWP and the council, her benefit payments would have been affected.
- She admitted the offence back in 2007. It has taken 18 months to come to court!
Do we get any of this money back?
People convicted of benefit fraud should have to repay twice what they've stolen, and should not be eligible for any further benefits – including tax credits - until they have.
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