A CLEVELEYS mother who illegally claimed almost £12,000 in benefits has been convicted by Blackpool magistrates.
Tracey Morris, 26, of Leicester Avenue, was paid a number of different benefits as a lone parent between December 2004 and May 2007, but was later found to be living with a partner.
Alan Godwin, prosecuting on behalf of Wyre Borough Council an
d the Department for Work and Pensions, told the court that between these dates Morris received £5,800 in Income Support, £5,000 in Housing Benefit and £1,000 in Council Tax Benefit. However, she failed to declare that she was cohabiting and that her partner was in employment during the claim period.
Morris pleaded guilty in court to three offences under Section 111 (1a) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. She was sentenced to 14 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and given a 12-month supervision order. She was also ordered to pay legal costs and repay all monies that were fraudulently obtained.
Andrew Robinson, Senior Fraud Officer for Wyre Borough Council, said: " This case sends out a clear message that benefit claimants can expect to face prosecution if they fail to notify us as soon as possible about changes in their personal circumstances."
After the case, Peter Hamer, Fraud Operations Manager with DWP, said: "This is an excellent example of our success at tackling benefit fraud when we work closely with our partners in local authorities.
"Benefit fraud is a crime - no ifs, no buts. Our skilled teams of investigators will root out anyone who steals money intended for vulnerable members of our society. We also take recovery action to ensure that fraudsters do not benefit financially from their criminal activities."
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