Greenwich Council Worker Loses Her Job For £5,000 Benefit Fraud

by our RGB Correspondent | Woolwich

A 36-year old former local authority worker has been sentenced to a 12-month community punishment order with a requirement that she undertakes 150 hours of unpaid work in the community, after being found guilty of defrauding the Royal Borough of Greenwich of Housing Benefit of over £5,000.

Ms Lyel, from Woolwich, was working at the Royal Borough’s contact centre and was in receipt of Housing Benefit to support her rental payments based on her part-time earnings. However, she failed to declare that her hours had increased from 16 to 35 per week in June 2013 and continued to receive a higher award of Housing Benefit to which she was not fully entitled.

The fraud was discovered by her managers at the contact centre who referred her case to the Royal Borough’s Internal Audit & Anti-Fraud team for further investigation. Enquiries found that during the period from June 2013 to September 2014, Ms Lyel had failed to declare her salary increase and that she had fraudulently claimed £5,363.92 in Housing Benefit.

Ms Lyel was interviewed under caution and stated that she had notified the Royal Borough of her salary increase by passing the completed forms to colleagues at work. Enquiries with her colleagues confirmed that at no time did she pass them any evidence relating to her increased hours.

Ms Lyel was summonsed to attend Bexley Magistrates Court and initially pleaded not guilty however on 7 October 2015, at the commencement of the trial at Bexley Magistrates Court, she pleaded guilty to one offence under the Social Security Administration Act 1992 relating to the £5,363.92 in overpaid Housing Benefit.

The full amount is now being repaid to the royal borough, and Ms Lyel was also ordered to pay the Royal Borough costs of £1,19 and a victim surcharge of £60. Ms Lyel was dismissed from her employment with the Royal Borough.

Cllr Maureen O’Mara said: “As a result of her fraudulent actions Ms Lyel has not only lost her job but she now has a criminal record for benefit fraud. On top of that, she has to repay every penny she defrauded and the costs of the Royal Borough. Once again our message is clear…if you commit fraud against us, you will be caught.”

If you suspect someone of committing fraud against the royal borough please call 0800 169 6975 or email fraud@royalgreenwich.gov.uk. Any information you give will be treated in confidence.