A Brighton woman has appeared at Lewes Crown Court today, Thursday 29 May 2014, for a preliminary hearing about benefit fraud she is said to have committed over a nine year period between 2004 and 2013.
Janice Purdie of Shoreham Road, Hove, claimed £ 83,113.95 in housing benefit and £8,212.55 council tax benefit that she was not entitled to as she owned a property in London, and later overseas, and had over £16k in the bank. Because Ms Purdie did not declare her property assets she also received overpayments of £39,541.71 for Income Support and £3,319.17 in Pension Credit.
Ms Purdie has pleaded guilty to all charges and will now appear on June 25 2014 for sentencing.
The case is a result of a joint investigation carried out by Brighton & Hove City Council and the Department of Work and Pensions after an allegation of undeclared capital and property was made by a member of the public.
BHCC’s senior investigator, Penny Wood, said: ”This is a prime example of someone blatantly abusing the system despite having accrued assets that many people struggle to attain over a lifetime. The benefits system is there to support those in need and with resources ever stretched this sort of abuse cannot be tolerated.”
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