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Who said crime doesn't pay
burtons
Posts: 724 Forumite
Someone living in the same town as my girlfriend have been fined for claiming council tax reduction for 4 years when they returned to work. While working they was overpaid council tax benefit of £149.06 and Council Tax Reduction of £3071.30 but they have only been fined £666, with £120 costs and a £66 victim surcharge.
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The fine will be in addition to having to repay the fraudulently claimed benefits and reduction. Crime only pays if you get away with it!0
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They'll be getting a very large council tax demand shortly, if not already.
CraigI no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
What I think happens is:
- it goes to court, court awards the penalties.
- once proven in court the Council then pursue what's owed to them.
This part of things is often not mentioned in papers as the papers are reporting on the specific court case, which proves/disproves an allegation. It doesn't then include a statement from the council saying "Yes, ha ha, we got the runts.... and now we'll be billing them £X too"0 -
Usually it would say if they had to pay the council tax back but it only says what fine they received.
The court have no say over the council tax being paid back - that will be an automatic effect anyway of the council tax benefit/reduction being removed.I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
PasturesNew wrote: »What I think happens is:
- it goes to court, court awards the penalties.
- once proven in court the Council then pursue what's owed to them.
This part of things is often not mentioned in papers as the papers are reporting on the specific court case, which proves/disproves an allegation. It doesn't then include a statement from the council saying "Yes, ha ha, we got the runts.... and now we'll be billing them £X too"
The council don't need the court hearing to cease or adjust the council tax benefit/reduction - the court case is only for the fraud/theft side of it and whether there was any criminal intent involved in the claim. Any overpayment of the benefit is a matter for the council's interpretation of entitlement.
In the majority of cases the council make the adjustments without a criminal prosecution and the person has appeal it to a tribunal if they dispute that. One advantage of any criminal prosecution case is that if there's any appeal made to the tribunal the court has use the court's decision in their case.I no longer work in Council Tax Recovery but instead work as a specialist Council Tax paralegal assisting landlords and Council Tax payers with council tax disputes and valuation tribunals. My views are my own reading of the law and you should always check with the local authority in question.0 -
I agree, in some cases crime certainly does pay.
Watched a TV prog recently where a gang were flying in people to open fake bank accounts as part of a car selling scam.
They made millions out of innocent people who the police admitted would never see their money back.
They got from between 2 to 5 years so how much time will they actually spend in prison!
Being in prison will just be an inconvenience to them and part of the job.0 -
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