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A woman from Newton-le-Willows failed to declare that her partner had moved in with her, which resulted in an over-payment of benefit totalling £3,557.66.

In Fulham a 75-year-old pensioner pleaded guilty to defrauding the Council out of £6,442.96 in housing benefit and £1,993.37 in council tax benefit. The offences, dating back to 2001, were picked up in a datamatch from the National Fraud Initiative Report 2005 "which identified thousands of fraudsters from across the country". He had been working while claiming benefit under the pretence that he had been out of work. The council may claim that it "will continue to track down those who commit benefit fraud and bring them to justice", but it didn't track him down. They were handed him on a plate and it took them several years to close the case.

Next, the case of the Iraqi general's son which has been making the national news. He has been living secretly in South Yorkshire for years as a failed asylum seeker using forged papers. Abas Fazil also made false claims for benefits when he could not find a job.

Last November he showed up at a Doncaster recruitment agency looking for work, and presented a Home Office Leave to Remain letter in his name, which checks showed was fraudulent. When he returned four days later officers were waiting for him, he was arrested, and his home in Regent Street, Balby, was searched.

A UK passport in the name of Craig Birtles, but with Fazil's photo inside, was found and he later confessed he had paid an associate £1,000 for the passport in 2005 so he could visit his sister in Iraq.

He also admitted buying the fake Home Office document for £100. While not working Fazil had falsely claimed more than £3,500 in Jobseeker's Allowance, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Fazil, who has already been served with a deportation notice, was jailed for nine months.

More forgery in the case of Southall "spiritual guru Parmjit Singh", who claimed Housing Benefit from November 1995 to November 2004 totalling £46,002. He produced forged declarations from people who he said were his landlords, without revealing that his real landlord was a family member, which would have disqualified him from benefit.

Forgery isn't a feature in most court cases we've reported so far. But the general's son was able to get his forged documents very cheaply - suggesting they are easy to get and are widely used.

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ranter

I have an employee at work.He has stated to me he would like to leave so he can take a low paid job and claim family tax credits (whatever they are)apparentley when you are on them they last for 12 months wether your circumstances change or not. He has also asked when he is sorted if he can have his job back..........Doh


There are two other guys at work who live with their "single mother" girlfriends who get all the benifits that go with that.

Is this what we have become? A country of spongers?
Maybe Im a bit slow, I just dont know anymore