Deliberate housing benefit fraud

A benefit cheat has recently been given an 80 hour community order to carry out unpaid work and ordered to pay £350 costs to Watford Borough Council.

Mr Mircea Paduraru of Addison Close, Northwood, claimed Housing Benefit between December 2008 and June 2010 from Watford Borough Council for a property in Kelmscott Crescent, Watford, but failed to declare in August 2009 that he had vacated the property.

An investigation was carried out by Watford Borough Council after a claim for the same address was received from another tenant. The case was then referred to the council’s fraud department as the benefits department had no record of Mr Paduraru vacating the property.

On 6 August 2010 Mr Paduraru was interviewed under caution by Fraud Investigators from Watford Borough Council. At the interview Mr Paduraru admitted that he failed to declare that he had moved and continued to claim Housing Benefit.

On 14 January 2011 Mr Paduraru appeared before Hemel Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to notify a change in circumstances to Watford Borough Council that he knew would affect his claim to benefit under Section 112 of the Social Security Act 1992. The overpaid amount of Housing Benefit was £6,458. The full amount has to be repaid to the council and Mr Paduraru has agreed an arrangement to undertake this.

Not enough.