Reading People who have made false housing and Council Tax benefit claims to the Council have been taken to task.
On Wednesday, January 20th, seven residents were found guilty at Reading Magistrates’ Court of defrauding the Council of thousands of pounds in benefits by making false claims for assistance.
Janusz Wicinski of George Street Reading, claimed £3,432 in housing benefit and was fined £75 by the court and instructed to pay £110 in costs.
Mr Wicinski had given the Reading Council false information about his wife’s employment and income on more than one occasion, over a period of four years.
Ingrid Doctrove of Northumberland Avenue, Reading falsely claimed £3,664 in benefits. She’d told the Council her only income was from job seekers’ allowance, but after investigation by Council officers, was found to be in employment.
She was instructed to pay £100 costs and was given an 18-month conditional discharge.
Horace Graham who had been claiming for an address in Cranbury Road, was overpaid £2,085 in benefit and handed a six month conditional discharge.
Mr Graham was claiming Reading job seekers’ allowance, which means he is automatically entitled to housing benefit and Council Tax benefit. Mr Graham had given false details of the home he was claming benefits against. When officers visited the property, they found it boarded up.
Lydia Ackah of Bourne Road, Swindon, was claiming a number of benefits before she contacted the Council requesting housing and council tax benefit to pay rent at her home in Reading.
After a tip off to the Reading Council’s anti-fraud unit, it was discovered the mother of three had let the property to a relative and had bought another house in Swindon.
She had claimed £3,889 in benefits and was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 in costs.
Keith Jones of Derby Road was fined £100 and £100 costs after being found guilty of giving the Council false information about his salary and other benefits he was receiving which would have affected his entitlement to housing and council tax benefits.
Ardita Kurtaj of, Rowdell Drive Reading was also ordered to pay £250 in costs after being found guilty of claiming £5,110 in housing benefit. She was also given an 18-month conditional discharge by the court.
Mr Kurtaj failed to declare income from student grants while studying at Thames Valley University.
Neriton Hoxha of Chester Street, Reading was given a six month conditional discharge after claiming 4,383 in benefits from the Council and giving false information about her monthly earnings.
Ms Hoxha’s salary was more than she had stated in her benefit claim form, meaning she was not entitled to receive as much benefit.
Jo Lovelock, Leader of Reading Borough Council, said: "It is simply not fair on the vast majority of people who do pay their way. The Council will always prosecute people who deliberately defraud the system. The benefit system is there to help people who have genuine difficulties and must not be undermined by fraudsters."
People caught cheating the benefits system can be fined up to £5,000 and be given a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment or both (in magistrates’ court).
If the case if referred to Crown Court, the penalties are more severe, where the maximum penalty is an unlimited fine or up to seven years imprisonment or both.
In addition to the fines and sentences imposed by the court, all of these residents will be required to repay the benefits falsely received.
Arrangements will be made between residents and the Reading Council to recover the overpayment of benefit.
If you suspect anyone of fraudulently claiming benefits, call the confidential hotline on (0500) 500 777
Reading Borough Council
