Harborough council takes man to court over council tax fraud worth more than £10,000

A man has been convicted of committing council tax fraud worth more than £10,000.

Legal action was pursued by Harborough District Council (HDC) who said Ranjit Gill, from Scraptoft Lane, wrongly claimed for council tax benefit for nearly seven years.

Gill appeared at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday June 8 for sentencing after pleading guilty to wrongfully submitting a claim for council tax. District and borough councils offer council tax support to people on low incomes and it may be claimed if a person is working full or part time and earning a low wage, has savings under £16,000 or receiving state benefits.

Anyone of working age who claims council tax support from HDC are expected to contribute a minimum of 15 per cent towards their council tax. But the judge told Gill he had defrauded Harborough District Council by applying for a council reduction he was not entitled to.

He was given a two-year suspended prison sentence, but this was reduced down to two months because of the guilty plea. He was also fined £2,495.72 for the crime to cover the council’s full legal and fraud investigation costs and the victim surcharge, money raised to fund victim services, such as charities and action groups.

Councillor Mark Graves, the council’s cabinet lead for revenue and benefit said: “Our council tax reduction scheme is in place for people who generally need extra support, such as those on low incomes and people that are retired. This conviction should serve as a warning to others prepared to take advantage of it.”