Benefit cheat ordered to pay back £13,000 in seven days

A Maidenhead woman who cheated council taxpayers out of more than £26,000 has been ordered to pay over £13,000 in compensation within seven days.

At East Berkshire Magistrates' Court Maidenhead on 30 September Mrs Shaheda Saeed, 59, of Winston Court, Halifax Road, pleaded guilty to 10 offences of failing to give prompt notification of a change affecting benefit entitlement. These were offences under Section 112 (1A) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

When Mrs Saeed appeared at East Berkshire Magistrates' Court Slough on Monday 21 November for sentencing she was ordered to pay £13,583.97, carry out 200 hours community payback within 18 months and pay costs of £200, also within seven days.

The balance of the overpayment will be collected by the Royal Borough's debt recovery team through an agreement with Mrs Saeed.

The case arose as a result of a housing benefit matching service referral which suggested that Mrs Saeed had failed to declare her true capital while claiming housing and council tax benefit. Further investigations revealed she had an undeclared bank credit of £46,776.81.

Between 12 March 2007 and 2 May 2011 Mrs Saeed received overpayments of £22,586.03 in housing benefit. Between 12 March 2007 and 28 April 2011 she received £3,538.97 in council tax benefit - a total of £26,125.00.

Andrew Brooker, head of finance, said: "Benefits are there as a support for those who are in real need. We will not hesitate to prosecute anyone who abuses the system in this way.

"We invite members of the public to contact us if they suspect benefit fraud and strongly advise anyone who has received overpayments to contact us as soon as possible so that the issue can be resolved."

The council's confidential and free Beat the Cheat line for reporting suspected benefit fraud is on 0500 353300.

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