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Burnley Magistrates’ Court has handed down a suspended prison sentence to a man convicted of benefit fraud, after he claimed housing benefit and failed to declare to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that he was the joint owner of the house he lived in.
Local publisher the Burnley Express reports that 65-year-old Peter Davis of Gawthorpe Street in Padiham wrongly claimed £52,000 in housing benefit.
He was found guilty of two charges of submitting false information to claim housing benefit and was given a 26-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £1,850 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
In the prosecution brought by Burnley Council, the court was told that Davis on two occasions submitted an application form for housing benefit, stating that he was renting the property he was living in from a landlord – when he was actually the joint owner of the property.
The deceit took place in September 2003 and June 2013 – and at first Davis denied during questioning under caution that he had committed the offence, or that he knew he was the owner of the property. However, he later admitted to being the joint owner of the house he lived in.
The court heard that as a result of the deception, Davis had wrongly claimed £52,005.53 in housing benefit at the address.
Burnley Council’s benefits fraud investigators were notified of the possible deception by a benefit officer, who became suspicious after Davis claimed housing benefit in June 2013.
Duncan Lewis Benefits Fraud Lawyers
Duncan Lewis benefit fraud lawyers can advise at any stage of a charge for benefit fraud, including fraud charges relating to:
• Bedroom Tax
• Blue Badge Fraud
• Child Tax Credits
• Council Tax Relief
• Disability Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credits
• Universal Credit
• Working Tax Credits.
Duncan Lewis is also a leading firm of Legal Aid lawyers.
For expert legal advice on charges relating to benefit fraud – including housing benefit – contact Duncan Lewis benefit fraud lawyers on 020 7923 4020.