Fenland residents have been warned not to risk incorrectly claiming Council Tax Support following two recent prosecutions for false claims.
Support and benefits are there to help vulnerable and low-income households, a district councillor said.
Two men from the Wisbech area have separately been prosecuted for falsely claiming a total of more than 15,000 in support.
Fenland district councillor Jan French said: “We work hard to ensure vulnerable and low-income people, who, for genuine reasons, cannot afford to pay their Council Tax, get the support they need, and to them we say, if you’re struggling, please contact us and let us help.
“Those who make false claims and abuse the system should be ashamed and deserve to be flushed out. False claims take resources away from the people who genuinely need help and from the rest of society, who pay their way for shared services.
“If you make a false claim, prepare to be found and to face a criminal record.”
Two men, both from the Wisbech area, separately appeared at Cambridge Magistrate’s Court on April 28.
One, a 65-year-old, had been in receipt of Council Tax Support since 2018. No income from an occupational pension was declared, no income from employment was declared, and the claimant had incorrectly confirmed they held capital below the prescribed limit of 10,000.
A data match carried out through the National Fraud Initiative identified that the claimant had been receiving an occupational pension since 2004.
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