A benefits cheat who fraudulently claimed more than £21,000 was caught after transferring a house to his wife.

Zubaid Iqbal, of Clement Street, Accrington, received around £18,000 in income support and £3,000 in council tax benefit, Burnley Crown Court heard. However he was caught by the authorities after he transferred a house that had no mortgage into his wife’s name.

David Farley, prosecuting, said Iqbal had been living at the house with his wife and failed to declare he owned the property while claiming the benefits.

Iqbal, 62, pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to notify a change in circumstances and was given a 24-week jail sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay £150 costs.

Judge Beverley Lunt said: “What you did was very, very wrong and you understand that. If you were younger and if you had not paid back all this money I would be sending you to prison. You must not abuse tax payers’ money in the way that you did.

“However because of your age, your lack of previous convictions and more importantly the fact you have repaid the money and not out of benefits I will suspend the sentence.”