Benefits Fraudsters Spared Jail

Benefit cheats are pocketing £50million a week – yet only a handful of those caught defrauding the welfare system are sent to prison.

- Matthew Davies

Latest court figures show that despite record levels of the crime, the number of people being jailed after convictions has never been lower.

Last year a total of £2.8billion was claimed by benefit cheats. But after 1,849 prosecutions, just 37 people got custodial sentences.

During the past five years the amount of money lost has more than doubled, while at the same time the number prosecuted for cheating the system has plunged by 80 per cent.

In the 2015-16 financial year 9,042 people were taken to court for the offence and 221 were sent to prison.