15 - Jail sentence for benefit fraudster

A benefit cheat who falsely claimed over £9,000 in council tax benefit and jobseekers allowance has been given a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

 

Mohammed Hanif, aged 52, of Lea Bank Road, Netherton, wrongly claimed the benefit from Dudley Council and the Department for Works and Pensions between April 2004 and April 2007.  During the period he did not declare he had savings of nearly £47,000.

 

Dudley magistrates handed Hanif a 16-week jail sentence, suspended for 18 months when he appeared before them on February 7. He was also given a 200 hour community punishment order, to be carried out over the next 18 months, and ordered to pay £175 costs within 28 days.

 

Dudley Council and the Department for Work and Pensions are now seeking to recover all the overpaid benefit.

 

 

“Housing benefit and council tax benefit is there to help those who are most in need.  The savings limit for claiming these benefits is £16,000 and Mr Hanif clearly had savings in excess of this.

 

“Benefit fraud is not a victimless crime. All taxpayers are victims. We will do everything we can to ensure those entitled to claim benefits get every possible help, but we will take action against those who seek to defraud the system.”

 

Residents should report cases of suspected fraud, in confidence, to the council’s benefit fraud investigation team on 01384 815635, or use the online form on the council’s website www.dudley.gov.uk