Heywood man fined for benefit fraud

A benefit cheat who failed to declare he was working full time has pleaded guilty to benefit fraud.

Anthony Fitzsimmons, 43, of Schofield Street, Heywood fraudulently claimed Incapacity Benefit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit to the value of £3,049.00.

An investigation led by the council’s fraud team in partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions found Mr Fitzsimmons had claimed the benefits stating he was unemployed when he was actually working full time.

Mr Fitzsimmons was interviewed under caution and admitted he had not only claimed benefits he was not entitled to but that he had falsely completed a benefit form, stating he was unemployed when really he had been working full time.

As a result of proceedings brought by the council’s Legal and Democratic Services team, Mr Fitzsimmons appeared at Bury and Rochdale Magistrates Court on 18 October 2012 and pleaded guilty to one offence of dishonestly failing to declare a change in his circumstances and one offence of dishonestly making a false statement under the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

A financial penalty was imposed by the court, meaning a fine of £265, costs of £461 and a victim surcharge of £15. In addition he will have to repay the £3,049.99 he defrauded from the council and the Department for Work and Pensions.