DWP gives warning to millions of Brits as woman jailed for £110,000 fraud
The number of people are currently receiving at least one benefit from the government has reached 24 million, with a record-breaking eight million people now on Universal Credit. But the government has now issued a stark warning following a rise in claims that benefit fraud will now be detected and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
The stern warning comes after a Manchester woman was sentenced to 20 months in prison. The 51-year-old was found guilty of pocketing £110,000 in benefits she wasn't entitled to after she failed to tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that her living situation had changed.
She pleaded guilty to four counts of benefit fraud at Manchester Magistrates' Court on August 12 having falsely claiming Job Seeker's Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support between 2013 and 2023. It comes as DWP confirms new Winter Fuel Payment deadline with pensioners urged to act now.
The case came to light after an anonymous tip which prompted a joint investigation by the DWP Pensions Regional Investigations team along with Manchester City Council, the Manchester Evening News reports. Minister for Transformation, Andrew Western, said following the legal case: "Our social security system exists to support the most vulnerable in society and those genuinely in need.
"We will continue to take legal action to fight those trying to scam the system and if anyone thinks they can get away with it this case shows that they will be brought to justice."
"Joint working between the DWP and local authorities will protect taxpayers' money while ensuring genuine claimants receive the money they are entitled to."
Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Finances and Resource for Manchester City Council, added: "We know that in Manchester there are a great number of people who are genuine beneficiaries of the benefit system and put their trust in it to deliver the support they need. For many it has been a lifeline through one of the most difficult economic climates in a generation.
"This case was an example of how the trust inherent in our benefits system was abused for personal gain. I would like to thank our officers for their tireless work to detect this fraud, as well as our colleagues in the DWP for ensuring a successful prosecution."
The case forms part of a broader trend of successful prosecutions safeguarding taxpayers' money in recent months. In June, a couple from Port Talbot were handed suspended prison sentences ranging from six months to two years after claiming £48,517 in Universal Credit payments whilst failing to declare their capital assets.
During the same month, a woman from Swansea was found guilty after making fraudulent childcare claims, uploading fabricated invoices to claim childcare costs she never incurred. She was given a 6-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to carry out unpaid work.
A couple from St Helens received two-year prison sentences each after fraudulently obtaining more than £268,000 through offences including bogus Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims and a Local Authority Direct Payment, using false identities, whilst also claiming Employment Support Allowance as a single person despite living together.
The DWP stated these successful prosecutions arrive as the UK Government strengthens its capacity to combat fraud and detect genuine mistakes more quickly, through the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.
The Bill will save taxpayers £1.5 billion over the next five years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
DWP issues stark benefit warning after woman jailed for 20 months
The DWP has issued a stern warning to benefit claimants across Great Britain, confirming that benefit fraud will be detected and pursued to the 'fullest extent of the law' Nearly 24 million people across Great Britain are currently receiving at least one benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), with a record 8 million now on Universal Credit. However, as claims continue to surge, the Government has issued a stern warning that benefit fraud will be detected and prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. This follows a Manchester woman being handed a 20-month prison sentence. The 51-year-old was found guilty of fraudulently pocketing £110,000 in benefits she wasn't entitled to, after failing to inform the DWP of changes to her living situation. It comes after reports DWP state pensioners are set to be given 'extra £352' completely free. She pleaded guilty to four counts of benefit fraud at Manchester Magistrates Court on 12 August, having dishonestly claimed Job Seeker's Allowance, Employment Support Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support between April 2013 and April 2023. The case came to light following an anonymous tip-off, leading to a joint investigation by the DWP Pensions Regional Investigations team and Manchester City Council, reports Wales Online. Minister for Transformation, Andrew Western, said: "Our social security system exists to support the most vulnerable in society and those genuinely in need. "We will continue to take legal action to fight those trying to scam the system and if anyone thinks they can get away with it this case shows that they will be brought to justice. "Joint working between the DWP and local authorities will protect taxpayers' money while ensuring genuine claimants receive the money they are entitled to." Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Finances and Resource for Manchester City Council, added: "We know that in Manchester there are a great number of people who are genuine beneficiaries of the benefit system and put their trust in it to deliver the support they need. For many it has been a lifeline through one of the most difficult economic climates in a generation. "This case was an example of how the trust inherent in our benefits system was abused for personal gain. I would like to thank our officers for their tireless work to detect this fraud, as well as our colleagues in the DWP for ensuring a successful prosecution." This prosecution forms part of a broader wave of successful legal action safeguarding public funds in recent months. In June, a Port Talbot couple were handed suspended prison sentences of between six months and two years after fraudulently claiming £48,517 in Universal Credit whilst hiding their capital assets. A woman from Swansea was convicted the same month for submitting false childcare claims, creating counterfeit invoices to secure payments for costs she hadn't actually incurred. She was given a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, along with a community service order. A couple from St Helens were each slapped with two-year prison sentences after fraudulently claiming over £268,000 through offences including bogus Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims and a Local Authority Direct Payment. They used phony identities and claimed Employment Support Allowance as single individuals despite living together. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has stated that these successful prosecutions come as the UK Government is beefing up its ability to combat fraud and identify genuine errors more quickly, via the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill. This legislation is expected to save taxpayers £1.5 billion over the next five years.
Scottish Sun
13 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
DWP confirms exactly when it will launch huge benefits crackdown that means banks can identify fraudsters
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE Government has confirmed when it's planning to bring in controversial new powers aimed at cracking down on benefits fraudsters. Banks will be drafted in to help identify benefits cheats and convicted fraudsters could be stripped of their driving licences under the new Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The Government wants to crack down on benefits fraudsters and save taxpayers billions Credit: Alamy New Government documents have revealed it's planning to bring the measures under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill in April 2026. The DWP has said it will be the "biggest fraud crackdown in a generation". It's estimated the new powers could save taxpayers £1.5billion over five years. Last year, an estimated £7.4billion was lost to benefits fraud - around 2.8% of total welfare spending. A further £1.6bn (0.6%) was overpaid due to unintentional errors by claimants, while £0.8bn (0.3%) was overpaid because of errors by the DWP. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been trying to boost the public purse after it was revealed she needs to plug a £50billion hole in public finances. The new measures mean banks will help to identify customers who might have breached benefit eligibility rules, such as exceeding the £16,000 savings limit for Universal Credit. They will share limited data with the DWP but can't provide transaction details, so officials won't be able to see how benefit claimants spend their money. The DWP also won't gain direct access to claimants' bank accounts, but it will receive cases flagged for investigation. Financial institutions face penalties if they overshare information beyond what's permitted. DWP will have access to YOUR bank accounts to tackle debt as Brits told 'get back to work' in major push on unemployed Airlines and other third-party organisations might also have to provide information to help detect benefit claims made from abroad that could violate eligibility rules. According to the Government documents, any information "will not be shared on the presumption or suspicion that anyone is guilty of any offence". However officials will gain authority to recover money directly from fraudsters' bank accounts. As well as this, persistent benefit fraudsters who fail to repay their debts could face driving bans lasting up to two years. DWP minister Liz Kendall has pledged to clamp down on benefit cheats, saying back in March: "The social security system that we inherited from the Conservatives is failing the very people that it is supposed to help and is holding our country back. "The facts speak for themselves. One in 10 people of working age are now claiming a sickness or disability benefit. Almost one million young people are not in education, employment or training - one in eight of all our young people." The DWP has said it will have strong safeguards in place, including new inspection and reporting mechanisms. DWP staff will also receive comprehensive training before using the new powers. However campaign groups have warned the powers could invade claimants' rights to financial privacy and it could also lead to legitimate claimants being wrongly investigated. In a letter to Kendall last year, the directors of Big Brother Watch and Age UK described the plans as "mass financial surveillance powers" which they said would "represent a severe and disproportionate intrusion into the nation's privacy".
The Sun
13 hours ago
- The Sun
DWP confirms exactly when it will launch huge benefits crackdown that means banks can identify fraudsters
THE Government has confirmed when it's planning to bring in controversial new powers aimed at cracking down on benefits fraudsters. Banks will be drafted in to help identify benefits cheats and convicted fraudsters could be stripped of their driving licences under the new Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans. 1 New Government documents have revealed it's planning to bring the measures under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill in April 2026. The DWP has said it will be the "biggest fraud crackdown in a generation". It's estimated the new powers could save taxpayers £1.5billion over five years. Last year, an estimated £7.4billion was lost to benefits fraud - around 2.8% of total welfare spending. A further £1.6bn (0.6%) was overpaid due to unintentional errors by claimants, while £0.8bn (0.3%) was overpaid because of errors by the DWP. Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been trying to boost the public purse after it was revealed she needs to plug a £50billion hole in public finances. The new measures mean banks will help to identify customers who might have breached benefit eligibility rules, such as exceeding the £16,000 savings limit for Universal Credit. They will share limited data with the DWP but can't provide transaction details, so officials won't be able to see how benefit claimants spend their money. The DWP also won't gain direct access to claimants' bank accounts, but it will receive cases flagged for investigation. Financial institutions face penalties if they overshare information beyond what's permitted. DWP will have access to YOUR bank accounts to tackle debt as Brits told 'get back to work' in major push on unemployed Airlines and other third-party organisations might also have to provide information to help detect benefit claims made from abroad that could violate eligibility rules. According to the Government documents, any information "will not be shared on the presumption or suspicion that anyone is guilty of any offence". However officials will gain authority to recover money directly from fraudsters' bank accounts. As well as this, persistent benefit fraudsters who fail to repay their debts could face driving bans lasting up to two years. DWP minister Liz Kendall has pledged to clamp down on benefit cheats, saying back in March: "The social security system that we inherited from the Conservatives is failing the very people that it is supposed to help and is holding our country back. "The facts speak for themselves. One in 10 people of working age are now claiming a sickness or disability benefit. Almost one million young people are not in education, employment or training - one in eight of all our young people." The DWP has said it will have strong safeguards in place, including new inspection and reporting mechanisms. DWP staff will also receive comprehensive training before using the new powers. However campaign groups have warned the powers could invade claimants' rights to financial privacy and it could also lead to legitimate claimants being wrongly investigated. In a letter to Kendall last year, the directors of Big Brother Watch and Age UK described the plans as "mass financial surveillance powers" which they said would "represent a severe and disproportionate intrusion into the nation's privacy".
