Working man failed to cancel benefits
A BATLEY man illegally claimed more than £2,000 in benefits, a court heard.
Emmett O’Rourke, of Primrose Hill, failed to notify Kirklees Council he had started work in February last year, which resulted in an overpayment of 2,440 in housing and council tax payments.
He was ordered to pay an 80 fine and 200 costs at Dewsbury and Batley Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
Representing himself, O’Rourke, 30, said he had been to cancel his job seekers allowance at the job centre and was told that was all he had to do to cancel all his benefits.
Prosecuting for Kirklees, Carol Holberry, said: “If there is a change in circumstances it has to be notified to the local authority. Going to the job centre does not notify them, and there shouldn’t be an automatic assumption that it would.”
Mrs Holberry said O’Rourke was sent letters in February and March telling him how his benefits were calculated, on which it was clearly stated that any change in circumstances should be notified to the local authority.
She added O’Rourke had acknowledged he was receiving 150 every two weeks into his bank account, but didn’t notice because he was receiving his wages and bonuses into the same account.
O’Rourke said: “I kept my money building up in that account so that if I fell out of work again I wouldn’t have to go back on benefits. I wanted enough money to keep me going, and I had no reason to check my statements. As soon as I was told I realised my mistake.
“I have never had housing benefits before so didn’t know I had to declare to them that I was working. It wasn’t like I was trying to claim. It really was a genuine mistake, I wasn’t trying to deceive anybody.”
O’Rourke has already made five payments to Kirklees to pay back the housing benefit, and his council tax repayment will be added to his bills.
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Weather for Batley
Sunday 05 February 2012
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