Stratford-on-Avon District Council is warning people found to be abusing the Housing and Council Tax Benefit system that the threat of prosecution is real.
The warning comes after investigation staff discovered that two claimants had fraudulently been claiming Housing and Council Tax Benefit and had failed to declare to the District Council that their circumstances had changed.
The claimants, Mr Ronald Morris of St Gregorys Road, Stratford-upon-Avon and Mr Ernest Vincent of Oxstalls Farm, Stratford-upon-Avon had both failed, on several occasions, to attend interviews under caution. Both claimants were found to have been in paid employment despite claiming to be unemployed. A reassessment of their claims resulted in overpayments of £2,500 and £870 respectively.
When summonsed to Stratford Magistrates Court in February both pleaded guilty to the offence. Magistrates handed down sentences of 100 hours unpaid work in the community to Morris and Vincent was ordered to do 60 hours unpaid work in the community and to pay £100 towards prosecution costs.
Stratford-on-Avon District Council is committed to paying Housing & Council Tax Benefits to only those with a genuine entitlement, and is committed to fighting fraud.
If you wish to report a suspected fraud you can contact the District Council via our fraud hotline on 01789 260486 or via email to fraud@stratford-dc.gov.uk
Alternatively, you can ring the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on (0800) 328 6340 Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 6.30pm (The information will be passed to investigators in the appropriate local authority.)
All information will be treated in confidence.
