Woman sentenced for £67,000 benefits fraud

A Radcliffe woman has been given a suspended jail sentence after fraudulently claiming more than £67,000 in benefits.

Julie Platt (aged 51) of Byron Avenue had not declared that she was living with her partner who was in work.

Over a period of eight years she wrongly claimed £37,810 in income support, £3,976 in council tax benefit, and £26,029 in housing benefit.

Platt was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday (24 September) after pleading guilty (on 20 August) to charges of dishonestly failing to promptly notify a change in circumstances and dishonestly gaining from that failure.

She was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. She was also ordered to carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work.

ENDS

Press release issued: 1 October 2013.