Council catches mum and daughter who collected £200k while claiming benefits

A mother and daughter have pleaded guilty to multiple fraud offences after an investigation led by Watford Borough Council (WBC) discovered they had more than £200,000 while claiming benefits. Tabassum Begum, 41, had 79 different accounts in a variety of names and had amassed £156,112.15 by May 30, 2011. She was overpaid £34,537.74 in Housing Benefit and £10,875.91 in Council Tax Benefit by WBC. Meanwhile, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) overpaid her £80,395.61 in Income Support. She claimed these three benefits – gaining a total of £125,809.26 – between July 2003 and July 2012, despite having too much money to be entitled to them. Begum moved from Whippendell Road to Chesham Way, where she currently lives, during that period. For more on this read the next edition of My Watford News out on June 12.