Benefit fraud success case for Royal Borough

The Royal Borough's benefit fraud team has reinforced its determination to clamp down on benefit cheats following a successful prosecution involving overpayments of housing and council tax benefits totalling more than £4,500.

At Maidenhead magistrates court on Friday (June 27) Katie Herridge, formerly of Stuart Way, Windsor, pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to notify a change in circumstances when claiming housing and council tax benefit between May 8 and October 26 2007.

The defendant received a two-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay costs of £175.

Both offences are contrary to Section 112(1a) Social Security Administration Act 1992 and the Council Tax Regulations 1987.

The defendant had failed to notify the council that her entitlement to income support had ended on May 8, and had subsequently received an overpayment of £4153.92 in housing benefit and £433.24 in council tax benefit.

The discrepancy was uncovered as a result of the team's use of government data matching, in which information supplied by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) is matched with that of Royal Borough benefit claimants to establish benefit entitlement.

Cllr David Burbage, leader of the council, said: "We want to send out a very clear message that we will take very firm and strong action against anyone who attempts to cheat the benefit system."