Ludlow woman prosecuted for benefit fraud

A Ludlow woman pleaded guilty to housing benefit and council tax benefit offences at Telford Magistrates Court on 10 June 2011.

Sarah Bright, of Henley Road, Ludlow, claimed housing benefit and council tax benefit but failed to tell Shropshire Council that she had received capital in excess of the prescribed limits of £16,000.

This meant that between 6 November 2006 and 31 January 2010 she received over £17,000 of benefits that she was not entitled to and that will be recoverable.

The court sentenced her to a six weeks custodial sentence suspended for two years, and a two month curfew order from Monday to Friday between 10pm and 6am. She was also ordered to pay £350 costs to Shropshire Council.

The case was investigated by Shropshire Council’s investigation team and the prosecution was brought by Shropshire Council.

Council Leader, Keith Barrow, who is also Cabinet member for resources and finance, said:

“Housing benefit and council tax benefit are funded by the taxpayer and Shropshire Council has a duty to protect this money.

“It is important that we take benefit fraud very seriously, and we won’t hesitate to take legal action against those who try and defraud the benefits system which exists to help those in need.”

Shropshire Council encourages people to contact the Fraud Hotline on 0345 6789033 or the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 3286340, if they have any suspicions about benefit fraud being committed.