by Hayley Robinson

A couple fiddled more than £20,000 in benefits over almost seven years.

Michael Edwards and his wife Marian Ann, both 58, pleaded guilty to fraud when they appeared before Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, November 22.

The court heard how the couple, of Chilton Avenue, Sittingbourne, failed to declare on six occasions that from November 2003 he was receiving an occupational pension. They also failed to declare the change in circumstances when filling in council tax forms.

The fraud was discovered on October 21 last year, when a discrepancy was detected by Swale council officers between a claim for housing benefit and details given to Department for Work and Pensions.

They claimed £17,267.86 in housing benefit and £3,329.94 in council tax benefit – a total of £20,597.80 – between December 1, 2003 and August 9 last year.

They were given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £100 in costs between them.

Swale council are in the process of recovering the overpayment.

Report benefit fraud by calling 01795 417714 or online at www.swale.gov.uk