Windsor benefit cheat falsely claimed £6,473

A benefit cheat from Windsor has been sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work after unlawfully claiming more than £6,400 in benefits.

Pamela Graziani, 61, of Carey Close, was sentenced at Slough Magistrates' Court on Monday after an investigation by the Royal Borough and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) exposed her crime.

Graziani pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to six offences of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances which meant she was overpaid £5,008 in employment and support allowance, £1,163 in housing benefit and £301 in council tax benefit.

The case arose as a result of a government data matching exercise which revealed Graziani had failed to declare rental income from undeclared tenants between August 3 2011 and August 13 2013.

Cllr Simon Dudley, cabinet member for finance, said: "The Royal Borough's fraud investigation team has a track record in finding and prosecuting benefit cheats that use public funds they are not entitled to for their own gain.

"On this occasion we also worked alongside colleagues at the DWP to share information which has led to the successful prosecution of a person who intentionally sought to defraud the taxpayer."

Graziani was ordered to pay costs of £300, a victim surcharge of £60, and the £6,473 she falsely claimed.