Benefits cheat falsely claimed £3,500

A woman has been fined £315 for benefit fraud after claiming almost £3,500 she was not entitled to.

Christine Powell, of Armstrong Road, Retford, faced three charges of failing to notify Bassetlaw Council of changes in her circumstances that she knew would affect her benefits when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court.

Powell pleaded guilty at the hearing on 14th May and was ordered to pay a fine of £145 together with £150 towards the council’s prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £20.

She will also have to repay the overpaid benefits back to the council.

Coun Simon Greaves, Leader of Bassetlaw Council, said: “The benefits system exists to help those in genuine need and who are entitled to support, not to subsidise people who willingly defraud the taxpayer.”

“We will continue to pursue benefit cheats through the courts and my message to those people who think they can get away with it is, we will catch you in the end.”