It was described as ‘a deliberate and sustained fraud against the public purse’
Hull Magistrates Court(Image: Peter Harbour – Hull Live)
An East Yorkshire woman fraudulently claimed more than £32,000 in benefits over 31 months. Emma Edwards failed to disclose that she was living together with her partner and maintaining a common household with him, and that her child had stopped full-time education, which affected her entitlement to benefits.
Edwards, 50, of the Hedon area, admitted three offences of benefit fraud relating to her claims for Council Tax Support and Universal Credit. The offences took place between August 2022 and March 2025.
Her fraudulent claims resulted in an overpayment of council tax support, housing benefit, income support and child tax credit totalling £32,103.92. Appearing at Hull Magistrates’ Court, Edwards was handed a six-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months.
She was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £154 and court costs of £85. Edwards will also have to pay back all the money she fraudulently received.
The offences were uncovered following a joint investigation by East Riding Of Yorkshire Council and the Department for Work and Pensions. Councillor Nigel Wilkinson, the council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance, said: “This was a deliberate and sustained fraud against the public purse, and the council takes such offences extremely seriously.
“Every pound wrongly claimed is money taken away from essential services and from those residents who genuinely need support. We work closely with our partners to identify and investigate benefit fraud, and this case demonstrates that those who choose to cheat the system will be caught and brought before the courts.
“Anyone considering committing this type of offence should be clear: the consequences include prosecution, a criminal record, and full repayment of the money owed.”
Anyone who suspects benefit fraud is being committed in the East Riding area can report it in confidence by visiting https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/housing/housing-benefit-and-council-tax-support/fraud-reporting/ or by calling the 24-hour fraud hotline on 01482 394949.
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