Benefit cheats claimed £23,000

THREE benefit cheats who did not declare their partners were living with them claimed a total of nearly £23,000, magistrates at Warrington were told.
The three appeared before the court on the same day – and all were ordered to repay the money.
Sarah Jones, 28, of Handley Drive, Warrington pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to declare that her partner had moved in with her and that they later got married.
Between April 2008 and April this year she was overpaid housing benefit of £8,078, council tax benefit of £1,718 and income support of £5,729.
In addition to repaying the money plus £100 costs, she received a three month curfew (electronic tag) from 8pm – 6am.
Lea Fynes, 34, of Neville Crescent, Warrington pleaded guilty to failing to declare that her partner had been living with her. She was overpaid housing benefit of £1,488, council tax benefit of £389 and income support of £1,267 between July and November last year.
She was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to repay the overpayment plus £200 costs.
Christina Barnes, 34, of Northway, Warrington pleaded guilty on two charges of failing to declare that her partner had been living with her. Between May and December last year she was overpaid housing benefit of £2,063.88, council tax benefit of £471 and income support of £1,552.
She was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to repay the overpayment plus £100 costs.
After the hearings, Adrian Webster, the council’s benefits manager, said: “Deliberately withholding information that affects your claim is stealing. That’s why we are targeting benefit thieves. We’re closing in on benefit thieves with every means at our disposal.”