A woman has been fined thousands of pounds after claiming benefits she was not entitled to due to having savings in a bank account.

Sushil Tandon of Lemonfield Drive, Garston, pleaded guilty to failing to notify Three Rivers Council that she had savings in a bank account, which meant she was not entitled to the reduction in her Council Tax that she had been claiming.

On July 26 Tandon was sentenced at St Albans Magistrates Court and ordered to repay more than £2,400 in addition to a fine of £150, costs of £150 and a £30 victim surcharge.

Three Rivers’ lead member for Resources and Shared Services, Cllr Matthew Bedford, said: “We have a team of investigators who will prosecute you if you deliberately give wrong information when you apply for help with your council tax or rent.

“Residents can telephone or email us in confidence if they have any suspicions that a neighbour or colleague is committing fraud.”

You can report benefit fraud to the council on 0800 458 9200.