Benefit fraudster ordered to pay more than £50,000

An electrician from Prestwich has been ordered to pay £51,203 after being convicted of housing benefit fraud carried out over eight years.

Tanveer Rashid (aged 44) of Albert Avenue, Prestwich received payments from Bury Council in respect of his mother. He claimed that she was the sole occupant of the Albert Avenue house and that he, who owned the house, lived with his sister in Crumpsall.

Investigators became suspicious that Mr Rashid did in fact live at the property with his mother following a data match exercise. They found that he had given Albert Avenue as his home address on more than 20 credit applications, and also for his driving licence, car insurance and employment records.

Rashid pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming £35,076 in housing benefits at an earlier hearing in July 2013, and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment suspended for two years, plus 180 hours’ unpaid work.

A financial investigation followed under the Proceeds of Crime Act and, at a hearing at Bolton Crown Court on 28 February 2014, he was ordered to repay £44,929.49 within six months. If he defaults he is at risk of serving a 15-month prison sentence and he will still be required to repay the money on his release. 

He was further ordered to pay £6,274 in costs to the council.

ENDS

Press release issued: 4 March 2014.