A REDDITCH woman has been sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid work after dishonestly claiming more than £6,000 in housing benefits.

Johanne Thomas, age 43 of Eathorpe Close, Matchborough, was sentenced by Redditch Magistrates Court on November 10.

She pleaded guilty to dishonestly claiming housing benefit amounting to £6,548.50 between June 2013 and January 2015 by failing to declare that she was working and that her husband’s earnings had increased.

The investigation began as a result of a data match that matches electronic data within local authorities and HMRC to prevent and detect fraud.

She was given a 12 month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge.

The court heard that the offence was serious and it involved a large amount of money dishonestly claimed over a long period of time.

Magistrates said that her sentence would have been greater had she not entered an early guilty plea.

A spokesman for Redditch Borough Council said: “This case again demonstrates the importance of declaring true circumstances when claiming benefit and reporting any changes as they take place. Failure to do so may lead to a criminal record and could have an impact on future claims.”

Anybody wishing to report a case of suspected benefit fraud can do so by ringing the borough council’s investigation team during office hours on 01527 534011 or by reporting online at redditchbc.gov.uk/fraud.