Pensioner's £5,000 benefit fraud

11:26am Sunday 2nd March 2008

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A PENSIONER claimed council tax benefit despite the fact she was receiving a pension from Lancashire County Council.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Mavis McDade also failed to reveal that she had a pension from Canada Life, that she was working part-time for a cleaning company and had savings accounts with the Britannia Building Society.

But the court was told the two pensions together only brought in £36 a month and defence solicitor Ben Leech said he didn't think Mrs McDade had gone out of her way to be dishonest.

McDade, 72, of Griffin Street, pleaded guilty to making false statements to obtain benefit. She was fined £500 and ordered to pay £200 costs.

Sajada Khan, prosecuting for Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said the claims had been made between January 2001 and December 2006 when McDade had claimed she and her husband were only in receipt of state pensions.

In 2005 a referral from the Department of Works and Pensions suggested McDade may be entitled to an occupational pension and she was called in for an interview.

Miss Khan said at the end of the interview McDade signed a written statement to the effect that neither she or her husband had a private pension.

"In March 2007 and further referral was received and inquiries revealed she had been receiving pensions from Lancashire County Council and Canada Life since 1995 and worked for Bullough Contract Services between September 2002 and May 2004," said Miss Khan. "She also had four accounts with the Britannia Building Society and the total council tax benefit overpayment was £4,479."

Miss Khan confirmed that McDade had paid that amount back in full.

Mr Leech said his client had never been in trouble before and the matter had been hanging over her for nearly a year.

He said the LCC pension was for £29.60 a month and the Canada Life pension just £6.44 a month.

"The ISAS were not brought to the attention of the council because she thought she was able to have £6,000 for her and her husband before it became disclosable," said Mr Leech. He said McDade earned £50 a week from her part-time cleaning job and thought she was allowed to work 16 hours a week Prior to her retirement at the age of 60 McDade had worked at Blackburn Museum.