DWP issues stark warning to benefit claimants after woman jailed for 20 months
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has issued a warning to millions of benefit claimants after a woman was jailed for 20 months after a court found her guilty of benefit fraud
Work and Pensions minister Andrew Western vowed to take legal action against benefit fraudsters
(Image: Danny Lawson/PA Wire)
Almost 24 million people throughout Great Britain are presently in receipt of at least one benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), with a record 8 million now claiming Universal Credit. Throughout Greater Manchester, approximately 145,000 individuals are receiving this primary benefit whilst maintaining some form of employment.
But the Government has issued a stark warning as claims continue to rise that benefit fraud will be identified and pursued through the courts to the maximum extent possible, following a Manchester woman being sentenced to 20 months imprisonment.
The 51-year-old woman was convicted of fraudulently obtaining £110,000 in benefits to which she had no entitlement after neglecting to notify the DWP of changes to her living circumstances.
The woman admitted guilt to four charges 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 matter emerged following an anonymous tip, which prompted a collaborative investigation between the DWP Pensions Regional Investigations team and Manchester City Council, reports the Manchester Evening News. For money-saving tips, sign up to our Money newsletter here
Minister for Transformation, Andrew Western, declared: "Our social security system exists to support the most vulnerable in society and those genuinely in need.
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"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."
The UK Government has sent a clear message that benefit fraud will be detected and pursued to the full extent of the law.
(Image: Getty )
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 represents part of a wider pattern of successful legal action protecting public funds in recent months, according to the Daily Record.
In June, a Port Talbot couple received suspended jail terms of between six months and two years following their fraudulent claims for £48,517 in Universal Credit whilst concealing their capital assets.
The same month saw a Swansea woman convicted for submitting false childcare claims, creating fake invoices to obtain payments for costs she had never actually paid. She received a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months, alongside a community service order.
A couple from St Helens have each been handed two-year prison sentences after fraudulently claiming over £268,000 through offences including false Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims and a Local Authority Direct Payment. They used fake identities and claimed Employment Support Allowance as single individuals despite cohabiting.
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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said that these successful prosecutions come as the UK Government is bolstering its ability to fight fraud and identify genuine errors more swiftly, via the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill.
This legislation is projected to save taxpayers £1.5 billion over the forthcoming five years.
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