A Nantwich woman has been ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work after fraudulently claiming benefits.
Elaine Dawson, of Cronkinson Oak, appeared before South and East Cheshire Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to two charges.
The 32-year-old was charged with failing to report a change in her circumstances in relation to her claims for housing benefit, council tax benefit, and council tax support.
Magistrates had heard Dawson had claimed the benefits since November 2012 on the basis she was on a low income and needed financial support to help pay her rent and council tax.
Her claim continued until Cheshire East Council discovered Dawson’s hours had increased.
An investigation into her claim found her earnings had increased significantly from January 2013.
In failing to report the increase, Dawson received £4,099.10 in benefits from Cheshire East Council over a period of two years that she was not entitlement to.
Magistrates ordered her to complete a 12-month community order with a requirement to complete 100 hours unpaid work and imposed costs of £300 and a victim surcharge of £60.
She will also have to repay in full all the benefits she fraudulently received.
Cllr Les Gilbert, Cabinet member in charge of communities, said: “If people think they can claim benefits they are not entitled to and get away with it, they are making a big mistake and our zero-tolerance approach will result in prosecutions like this.
“They risk being prosecuted and ending up with a criminal conviction for a serious offence of dishonesty.”
In 2015, Cheshire East Council’s benefit investigations team has identified more than £770,000 in fraudulently claimed housing benefit, council tax benefit, jobseekers’ allowance, income support and employment support allowance paid by Cheshire East Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.
In that time, 43 people have been prosecuted, 31 issued with administrative penalties or fines and 35 more cautioned for benefits offences and Blue Badge misuse.
If people believe someone is committing benefit fraud, they can call the confidential free phone fraud hotline on 0800 389 2787.
Alternatively, suspected fraud can be reported on the Council’s website at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/benefits
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