A woman has pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming almost £30,000 in housing benefit after failing to tell Westminster Council she had thousands of pounds in savings.

On Wednesday (January 20th), Phool Lohar, 43, from north Westminster pleaded guilty to two charges of making false statements at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court.

She started claiming housing benefit in May 2006 but in July 2008 fraud investigation officers found evidence that she had not declared that she held a bank account holding £22,000.

When interviewed by fraud officers in September 2008, Lohar claimed the money belonged to her sister and that she was looking after the money as her sibling did not have a bank account.

However, Lohar later admitted that the money was in fact hers. She told fraud officers that she did not want her husband to know about it as she was afraid he would not contribute to the household costs if he knew of her savings.

Lohar is due to be sentenced at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court next month (February).

Councillor Melvyn Caplan, Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "We will continue to do all we can to stamp out benefit fraud and safeguard taxpayers' money.

“This money is for those in genuine need and if you are caught, we will pursue the case through the courts."

ENDS

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