Data matching catches Chislehurst resident fiddling benefits

A national fraud data matching initiative led to a Chislehurst woman admitting to fraudulently claiming benefits.

Karen Younger 50, of Willow Grove, Chislehurst, pleaded guilty to defrauding Bromley Council out of £12,310 in housing benefits for the period October 2010 to February 2013. Information received through the National Fraud Initiative data matching exercise, led to an investigation that showed Ms Younger was a student in receipt of student loans and grants that she had not declared. Younger was sentenced on the 31 July at Croydon Crown Court to a 4 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months, a 12 month community order requiring 120 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60. As well as having a criminal record she will be required to pay back the overpayment.

Councillor Neil Reddin Chairman of Bromley’s Audit Committee said: “Data matching is another tool we use to identify and successfully prosecute claimants who fiddle the system. Protecting our public funds and ensuring that they are only used for those in genuine need is a priority for us.”

This case brings the total of Bromley benefit claimants prosecuted to 335 since Bromley and Greenwich Councils started working in partnership to track, trace and prosecute benefit fraudsters.

Anyone with information about a suspected benefit fraud should contact (in strict confidence) the Fraud Hotline on 0800 169 6975 or email audit@bromley.gov.uk
www.chislehurstvillagenews.co.uk