A woman who falsely claimed more than £22,000 in benefits over five years has been spared jail.
Benefits cheat Parveen Akhtar, of Wordsworth Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to three counts of failing to notify an authority of a change in circumstances, and two counts of making false statements.
Akhtar was prosecuted in a joint working case brought by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and Hyndburn Borough Council (HBC).
The 43-year-old also claimed £10,252 in housing benefit from Hyndburn council and a further £1,566 in council tax benefit over two years.
She also unlawfully claimed £10,372 in income support from the DWP, despite having more than £24,000 in savings.
Akhtar was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for 12 months.
A spokesman from the DWP said: “Ms Akhtar failed to declare capital which she had in her accounts. She had over £24,000 worth of savings which she did not reveal.”
She had failed to notify the DWP of a change in circumstances affecting her entitlement to income support between August 2009 and December 2011 and made two false statements to the department for jobseekers allowance.
Akhtar also failed to notify the council of a change in circumstances affecting her entitlement to council tax benefit between April 2011 and March 2013, and failed to notify the council of a change in circumstances affecting her entitlement to housing benefit between April 2011 and October 2013.
She is due to appear at Burnley Crown Court for a proceeds of crime hearing on July 12 to determine further repayments.
