PEOPLE who try to cheat when paying their council tax will be caught, benefit officers have warned.

It follows the success of a prosecution involving the single person discount system.

Clifton resident Karen Herrington, 35, pleaded guilty to illegally getting a reduction on her council tax bill by failing to tell the authorities that her sister and niece were living with her in Kingsway North.

This meant she was assessed as a person living alone and did not have to pay the full council tax for her home.

She also pleaded guilty to two offences under social security laws relating to council tax benefit and housing benefit. Herrington was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £300 court costs.

City of York Council officers said afterwards it was the first time someone had been prosecuted for dishonestly getting a single person discount.

Max Thomas, the council's audit and fraud manager, said: "The council does not tolerate benefit fraud and will take appropriate action in all cases where it is found that people have submitted false claims. In other words, if you cheat, we will catch up with you."

The same court also ordered Jayne Lancester, 30, of Lilbourne Drive, Clifton, to pay back £1,500 to the council after she admitted two benefit fraud offences involving housing benefit and council tax benefit and one of illegally getting a council tax single person discount.

She failed to tell the council that her partner, Michael Smith, had moved in with her. In addition to the compensation, she was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £150 prosecution costs.

About her case, Mr Thomas said: "This fraud was stopped as a result of a tip-off from a member of the public. Benefit fraud is a crime and I would encourage anyone who has information or suspicions about possible benefit fraud to phone the council's fraud hotline on 01904 552935."

Updated: 10:20 Wednesday, August 03, 2005