March 2011

March 2011

• A 24 year old man from Birmingham was successfully prosecuted at Solihull Magistrates Court following a  investigation by the Council’s Benefit Fraud Team. He  had failed to declare that he was no longer in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance . He pleaded guilty in court and was sentenced to 80 hours unpaid work . A compensation order was also granted for the overpaid Housing Benefit totalling £ 3547.97.
• After a successful investigation by the Council’s Benefit Fraud team, a 47 year old man from Solihull was found guilty by Solihull Magistrates Court on 27th January 2011 for failing to promptly report a change in his income, namely that he had re-started work.  He was sentenced to a 3 years conditional discharge and has to repay £4,691.00 Housing and Council Tax benefit he claimed incorrectly .  The discrepancy was identified as part of an Intervention Visit.
• A 33 year old woman from Chelmsley Wood accepted a Formal Caution following a successful investigation by the Councils Benefit Investigation Team. She failed to report to the Council that she was in receipt of Tax Credits. She has to repay the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit overpaid to her, totalling £4006.88.
• A 42 year old woman from Solihull was found guilty by Solihull Magistrates Court on 4th February 2011 for failing to promptly report a change an increase in her Tax Credits. She was sentenced to a 12 month conditional discharge. Although the overpayment created from the change to her Tax Credits was quite low, the case was pursued by the Benefits Investigation Team, as the claimant had previously failed to report that she was working for Solihull MBC for which she was issued with an Administration Penalty. Referral was made by the Awards Team.
• A 26 year old woman from Chelmsley Wood accepted a Formal Caution following a successful investigation by the Council’s Benefit Investigation Team. She failed to declare to the Council that she had received additional earnings. A total overpayment of £2194.85 is now being recovered from the customer.
• A 24 year old woman from Solihull accepted a Formal Caution following a successful joint investigation by Solihull JCPLUS and the Council’s Benefit Investigation Team. She failed to declare that she had been working . A total overpayment of £1910.87 which is now being recovered from the customer.
• A 49 year old man from Kingshurst was successfully prosecuted at Birmingham Magistrates Court following a joint investigation by the Council’s Benefit Fraud Team and Job Centre Plus Fraud Team. He had failed to advise either department that he had been working . He pleaded guilty in court and was handed a £115 fine and ordered to pay £100 costs . He is also required to repay the overpaid Income Support, Housing and Council Tax Benefits totalling £4494.95 which is being recovered.
• A 19 year old woman from Chelmsley Wood accepted a Formal Caution following a joint successful investigation by the Councils Benefit Investigation Team and DWP’s Fraud Investigation Service. She failed to report to either the Council or DWP that she was working. She has to repay the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and Income Support overpaid to her, totalling over £2,000.
• A 41 year old woman from Solihull was successfully prosecuted at Solihull Magistrates Court following a investigation by the Council’s Benefit Fraud Team. She had failed to report increases in her salary and Tax Credits . She pleaded guilty in court and was handed a £200 fine . She is also required to repay the overpaid Housing Benefits totalling £5216.09 .