Date: 14/10/2008
High Peak Borough Council and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) successfully prosecuted a resident of Furness Vale at Buxton Magistrates Court on Friday, October 10, 2008.
Sarah Killer, aged 28, committed the offences at Charlesworth Crescent, in Furness Vale, High Peak.
The offences were discovered when council officers, together with investigators from DWP, discovered that Killer had been obtaining benefits while working.
Killer started work on September 9, 2007, but failed to declare this to High Peak Borough Council or the Department for Work and Pensions. She had fraudulently obtained £515.45 in Income Support, £182.61 in Housing Benefit and £30.00 Council Tax Benefit.
After she failed to turn up to be interviewed about the offences, the Department for Work and Pensions decided to prosecute her.
Killer pleaded guilty to the charges in court and was fined £100 and ordered to pay costs as well as the full overpayment of the benefits.
Emily Thrane, Deputy Leader and Executive Councillor for Corporate Services, said: "These prosecutions show that, by working closely with our partners, we can ensure that cases of benefit fraud are identified. If you think that somebody might be claiming benefits to which they are not entitled, please call our fraud hotline."
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 or the Department for Work and Pensions fraud hotline on 01298 306937-8. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR NAME.