Debra Ballantine, of Witham, admitted two charges of fraud by failing to disclose information when she appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court on August 19, 2025.
Ballantine was overpaid £25,324.48 in universal credit and £1,329.56 in council tax support over the period of April 2019 to October 2022.
She was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 11 to eight months’ imprisonment for universal credit fraud and eight months for council tax support fraud, to be served concurrently.
Paul Jones of The Spinney, Witham pleaded guilty of two benefit fraud offences at Chelmsford Magistrates on June 6, 2024.
He had failed to declare that his Universal Credit had ceased and that he had started work. As a result he received £1926.82 in Council Tax Support that he wasn’t entitled to.
He was fined £650 along with a victim surcharge of £246 and was ordered to pay costs of £451.45, as well as having to repay the overpaid Council Tax Support.
Mrs Casey Webb, of Ridley Hall, Braintree Rd, Terling, CM3 2AX. Aged 4. A file was raised following concerns from Benefits regarding her tenancy. Investigations showed, through liaising with the landlord, that she had provided a false tenancy agreement at the outset of her claim in 2011. She was living in the annexe of a property that was actually rented by her parents.
She had been in receipt of Housing Benefit but had no liability to pay rent.
The case was investigated jointly by Braintree Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.
She was interviewed under caution where she denied the allegations.
However, she was charged with two counts of Benefit fraud, both under Section 1 of the Fraud Act 2006.
She appeared at Colchester Magistrates on 23/6/26 where she pleaded guilty to the two offences.
She was given a total of 32 months imprisonment, suspended for 3 years. She was also given 250 hours unpaid work and 30 rehabilitation days. The judge advised her that she was very close to going to prison.
She was overpaid Housing Benefit of £108,937.03 for the period 21/11/2022 to 23/04/2024 which she will have to repay.
