Redditch benefit thief gets six months

A Redditch woman has been sentenced to six months in prison for committing benefit fraud.

Amanda Dancer, aged 47, was sentenced at Worcester Crown Court for dishonestly obtaining over £75,000 in benefits by failing to declare her husband was living with her.

The court heard that Redditch Borough Council started looking into the claim after information was received suggesting that Mrs Dancer was claiming fraudulently.

The Department for Work and Pensions were invited to join the investigation after initial enquiries showed that benefits paid by both organisations were involved.

The investigators went on to uncover evidence to show that Mrs Dancer had been living with her husband since at least December 2002.

The false claims were stopped in January 2010 and overpayments of £50,652.90 Income Support, £20,549.34 Housing Benefit and £4,291.65 Council Tax Benefit were identified.

The case was originally heard at Redditch Magistrates Court where Mrs Dancer pleaded guilty to offences of dishonestly claiming benefits. Magistrates adjourned the case to the Crown Court as they felt that their sentencing powers were insufficient for the offences.

After hearing the facts of the case, Judge Juckes said that he considered Mrs Dancer had initially made a genuine claim, which became dishonest.

He added that the guidelines suggested a nine month prison sentence was appropriate, but he was prepared to reduce this to six months due to the early guilty plea, personal circumstances and the fact that Mrs Dancer would have genuinely qualified for around £20,000 during this time, if she had claimed the correct benefits.

Cllr Michael Braley, Redditch Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Corporate Management, said: “Dishonestly claiming benefits is a very serious matter and it can result in a prison sentence of up to seven years.

“This case shows that reporting a change in circumstances does not have to mean a total loss of benefits, but failing to report these new circumstances can lead to a prison sentence. This is why people claiming benefits must make sure that their claims are correct at all times.”