76 year old woman from Aylesbury given suspended sentence for benefit fraud

A 76 year old woman from Churchill Avenue, Aylesbury has been given a suspended sentence for almost £18,000 of benefit fraud.

The woman admitted failing to declare her employment for the purpose of obtaining housing benefit, council tax benefit and pension credit.

She received £6,589 housing benefit, £1,871 council tax benefit and £9,447 income support that she was not entitled to during her full-time cleaning job.

The woman pleaded guilty to three offences. Two of failing to notify AVDC of a change in circumstances and one of allowing false information to be supplied to obtain pension credit.

During sentencing by Aylesbury Magistrates Court, she was given a 21-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £85 in costs and an £80 victim surcharge. She will also have to repay all the overpaid benefits she received.

The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by Aylesbury Vale District Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Councillor Neil Blake, Leader of the Council, said: ‘Benefit fraud is a serious crime that takes away money from hard-working residents who need it. This sentence should serve as a warning that we take our duty to protect taxpayers money very seriously and that we will leave no stone unturned in finding those who try to defraud the system.‘