A CATSHILL woman has been fined for cheating Bromsgrove District Council out of almost £8,000 of benefits.
Carolyn Caswell, of Woodrow Lane, pleaded guilty at Redditch Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday (December 1) to dishonestly claiming housing and council tax benefits.
The 68-year-old started to claim the funds in September 2012 up until October 2014. Magistrates heard that Caswell was working from the time she made the claim and failed to declare her extra income.
This came to light through an investigation which data-matched information from local authorities and HMRC to detect what was happening.
Caswell was fined £200 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £135 and a £20 victim surcharge. She will also have to pay back every penny of the £7,848.53 she was overpaid.
A spokesperson for Bromsgrove District Council said: “Anybody making a claim for benefit is making a legal declaration that they have declared their true circumstances.
“Failure to do so may lead to a criminal record, and it could have an impact on future claims too.”
To report someone suspected of benefit from contact the Investigation Team by emailing [email protected] or calling 01527 534011.
