Benefit cheat had £16,000 in savings account

A Stafford woman was able to claim thousands of pounds of benefits by not revealing she had more than £16,000 in savings.

Stafford Magistrates were told Elaine Banks, 39, had let a friend fill in the form to claim housing and council tax benefits as she was depressed because her partner was in prison.

The mother of four signed the benefits application form despite having just under £16,500 in a Britannia savings account, Moira Bell, prosecuting on behalf of Stafford Borough Council, told the court.

The mother of four received overpayments of £12,259 before being caught.

Banks, of Plant Crescent, Stafford, admitted not disclosing the 'capital' to Stafford Borough Council which would have affected her entitlement to benefits between January 2009 and July this year. Sentence was adjourned for a probation report to be prepared.

People with savings of more than £16,000 are not entitled to claim housing and council tax benefits. Anyone with any savings should declare them to the council when applying for benefit. 

Mrs Bell, said: "She made a claim for housing and council tax benefit but did not tell the local authority that she had a savings account with just under £16,500 in."

The court heard she had not lived an extravagant lifestyle and had been putting money in to the savings account since she was 16 years old.

After the case, Bryan Law, head of finance at the borough council said: "I hope it sends out a message that those who cheat the tax payers purse by claiming benefits they are not entitled to will be caught and will have to repay the money."

In another borough council prosecution, a woman accused of benefit fraud of more than £34,000 is to have her case heard at Stafford Crown Court. Sonia Hussain, who used to live in the town's Vauban Drive but is now residing Birmingham, will appear before the court in January. 

If you have information on potential benefit cheats then you can contact the fraud team anonymously on 01785 619443. For advice on benefits go to www.staffordbc.gov.uk or 01785 619000.

Press Release No 4407