A Gateshead man has been handed a suspended sentence for dishonestly claiming housing and council tax benefits.
Walter Morris of Penrith Gardens, Gateshead, was caught following a data matching exercise, which highlighted savings accounts containing more than £20,000 pounds that he had not declared.
Mr Morris made three claims for housing and council tax benefits totalling over £14,000 whilst failing to declare the savings accounts.
Gateshead Magistrates accepted Mr Morris’s guilty plea of claiming £11,031.97 in housing benefits and £3,060.43 in council tax benefits by making dishonest false statements and failing to declare his true capital.
Mr Morris pleaded guilty to the offences and was given an eight week suspended prison sentence, a six month supervision order and ordered to pay costs of £60. Mr Morris has already been made to repay the falsely claimed council tax benefit and is in the process of repaying the housing benefits.
Derek Coates, the director of finance at Gateshead Council, said: "This case is not just one of someone forgetting to tell officers of their employment, this is a case of persistent failure to give correct information when applying for benefits.”
“We are determined to bring fraudsters before the courts and ensure that benefit payments are made correctly to those who are entitled to them.”
Anyone with good reason to suspect that a benefit fraud is being committed in Gateshead can provide details, anonymously if necessary, by ringing 0191 4333748 during office hours or at any other time on 0191 4779954 or alternatively by e-mail to fraudinvestigations@gateshead.gov.uk.