Light sentence for tax credits thief

A Stockton-on-Tees woman investigated for a £40,000 tax credits fraud claimed to be single even though her live-in partner was present at the time of her arrest.

Angela Richards, 31, of Billingham, claimed that she was working 30 hours a week at a local bookmaker’s but hadn’t worked there since May 2008. She lied about her childcare costs making multiple calls to HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) tax credits helpline, which she admitted were made to ‘add credibility’ to her claim.

Between 2008 and 2010, mother of four, Richards claimed £40,781 she was not entitled to. She regularly made changes to her income, hours and childcare costs, at one point claiming her childcare was £405 per week. Although cohabiting with her partner, Richards claimed as a single person, maintaining at interview that they had separated even though her partner was present at her home at the time of her arrest.

Mike O’Grady, Assistant Director for HM Revenue & Customs, said:

Angela Richards’ deception was far reaching and determined. She called the tax credits helpline more than 50 times over a two year period, reporting minor changes to her circumstances. In reality the details of her claim were a pack of lies.

HMRC is determined to crack down on the small minority of tax credits claimants who deliberately commit fraud. We will not hesitate to identify and investigate these individuals who set out to cheat the system and the majority of our customers who are honest and claim only what they are entitled to.

Richards was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months and issued with a 12 month supervision order at Teesside Crown Court after pleading guilty to tax credits fraud at a previous hearing.