Housing Benefit Fraud for Llanelli man

A LLANELLI man has been sentenced to a community order for falsely claiming more than £2,000 in benefits.

Ian William Rimmer, of Glanmor Terrace, Llanelli, appeared before Carmarthen Magistrates Court last week for sentencing having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to five charges of making false statements to obtain benefit, contrary to section 112 Social Security Administration Act 1992.

The court was told that 59-year-old Rimmer had applied for Housing benefit in Carmarthen in September 2012. He declared his only income to be an occupational pension from Railways Pension Scheme.

Upon checking records of previous claims, the Housing Benefit Section saw that this occupational pension income hadn’t been declared when he claimed for four different properties during the period March 2009 to June 2010. On each occasion, Rimmer declared his only income to be a DWP benefit. In each claim, the customer had been housed in temporary accommodation by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Housing Department.

Full details of the occupational pension were obtained from the pension company using statutory powers. The pension company confirmed that the occupational pension commenced in 2005. The Housing and Council Tax Benefit claims were reassessed and i was found that Rimmer had been overpaid £2,055.07 Housing Benefit for various periods from March 2009 to June 2010 and £342.71 Council Tax Benefit for the period from November 19, 2009, to June 23, 2010.

The magistrates sentenced Rimmer to a 12-month Community Order with 100 hours unpaid work requirement. He was also ordered to pay a £150 contribution towards the prosecution costs.

Council executive board member for resources Cllr Jeff Edmunds said: “The county council wants people who are entitled to Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit to claim what they are rightfully entitled to.

“However, we are also determined to crack down on fraudulent claims. These offences take money from the public purse that could otherwise be used for funding essential services. It is taking money from every council tax payer.”

Members of the public can report any suspicion of benefit fraud in the county via the Carmarthenshire County Council Fraud Hotline 0800 – 801116 or via the council website.