Welfare Benefits Solicitors

A court has heard how a 63-year-old man from Burnley in Lancashire falsely claimed £35,000 in benefits and sent money to Pakistan, when at one point he had £75,000 in savings.

Online publisher This Is Lancashire reports that Iftikhar Ahmad of Colne Road in Burnley claimed Income Support and Council Tax relief, until an investigation by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uncovered the scam.

He had told investigators that his wife’s family had given them cash to “to top up” their bank balance.

However, DWP fraud investigators found several currency exchange transactions, which showed substantial amounts of money were sent to the couple’s family in Pakistan.

The prosecution told Burnley Crown Court that Ahmad had more than £10,000 in his bank account when he first made a claim for income support in October 2006 – at the time, any savings over £6,000 had to be declared on benefit claim forms.

This declaration was extended to include Council Tax benefit in 2007, by which time Ahmad’s savings had increased to around £30,000.

As a claimant, Ahmad was required to notify either the DWP or Burnley Council about any material changes in his circumstances – but at one point in 2009, he had savings of £75,000, the court heard.

Ahmad had completed a claims review form in 2011 – at that time his savings had fallen to £43,000, but significant sums of money had been sent abroad during the period he had falsely claimed benefits.

Ahmad’s defence lawyer told the court that his client had no previous criminal convictions – and that he accepted that his claim had been fraudulent from the outset and he only had himself to blame.
“He is in his sixties and has a wife and four primary school age children and he is diabetic, taking insulin five times a day to control the condition,” he told the court.
The court also heard that the couple’s five-year-old son had been seriously ill, and although in remission but was still taking a number of medications.
The court was told a prison sentence “would place a heavy burden” on Mr Ahmad’s wife.
However, Judge Graham Knowles QC jailed Ahmad for 15 months for benefit fraud.

After sentencing, he told Ahmad:

“The more money which is cashed by liars like you, the less there is to spend on people who need and deserve this money.”

Ahmad has repaid around £1,000 – and may have the equity in his property taken into account to meet any future compensation application, the court heard.

Duncan Lewis Benefit Fraud Solicitors

Duncan Lewis benefit fraud solicitors can advise at any stage of a charge involving benefit fraud, including fraud relating to:

• Child tax credits
• Council tax benefit
• Disability living allowance
• Housing benefit
• Income support
• Jobseeker’s allowance
• Pension credits
• PIP
• Universal credit
• Working tax credits.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and a benefits fraud lawyer can also advise on and attend an interview under caution with the DWP or council fraud investigators.

For expert legal advice on benefit fraud charges, call Duncan Lewis benefit fraud solicitors on 020 7923 4020.