Beating the benefit frauds

More than £2 million worth of overpaid and fraudulently claimed housing benefits has been recovered in Slough.

A total of £2,492,616 has been recovered by Slough Borough Council's benefits team, along with the investigation and overpayment unit, from claimants and landlords who had received payments they were not entitled to in the financial year of 2008/09.

A total of 31housing and council tax benefit claimants were cautioned because of offences identified, 18 people were given administrative penalties as an alternative to prosecution and 21 were prosecuted in court.

Scott Warner, investigation team leader, for the council, said: "We take a firm stance on benefit fraud and strive to catch offenders who steal from tax payer's pockets."