Date: 03/03/2008
A Hadfield woman pleaded guilty to four charges of benefit fraud at Buxton Magistrates Court on 29 February 2008.
Patricia Lindsay, aged 47, of Redfern Close, Hadfield, was given a Community Penalty Order, the number of hours to be determined at a later date, together with the issue of costs.
The offences were discovered when council officers, together with investigators from the Department of Works and Pensions, discovered that Lindsay had been working.
Lindsay fraudulently obtained a total of £4,018.33 of Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance and Housing Benefit, for periods between April 2004 and July 2007. During these periods, Lindsay worked for five different employers in part time, low paid jobs, but failed to disclose any of the work to either the Department of Work and Pensions or the Local Authority.
Councillor Emily Thrane, Executive Member for Corporate Services, said: "The council will not tolerate benefit cheats, as they steal from the public purse and give a bad name to those who genuinely rely on benefits as a life line. We will always pursue those who cheat, in order to get housing benefit or council tax benefit."
Since April, the Council's fraud team has identified overpayments totalling £110,798.24 .In addition, three people have been prosecuted and 51 people have been sanctioned.
If you know anybody who is claiming housing benefit or council tax benefit falsely, you can phone High Peak Borough Council's dedicated fraud hotline on 01298 28433.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR NAME.