A man failed to declare he no longer lived at his social housing property and continued to falsely claim council payments.

Shaun Johnson, 41, who held a tenancy at Roise Court, Bedford, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Fraud Act and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Detection of Fraud and Enforcement (England) Regulations 2013).

Johnson failed to report to Bedford Borough Council and housing association BPHA that he no longer lived at the address and continued to receive £5,771 in council tax reduction payments.

And on Friday, May 8, Luton Magistrates’ Court imposed total penalties of £1,386, including fines, surcharge and costs. Johnson will also have to repay the total cost of the payments he wrongly claimed.

Shaun Johnson, 41, who held a tenancy at Roise Court, Bedford, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Fraud Act and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Detection of Fraud and Enforcement (England) Regulations 2013)

placeholder image — Shaun Johnson, 41, who held a tenancy at Roise Court, Bedford, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Fraud Act and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Detection of Fraud and Enforcement (England) Regulations 2013)

The court heard Johnson, now of Magpie Gardens, Wixams, had been allocated the social housing property by BPHA since March 2015. As a social housing tenant and receiving council tax reduction payments, he should have told the council and housing association of any change in circumstances – including if he stopped using the property as his main home.

Following an anonymous tip-off backed by CCTV footage, it was confirmed he had not been living in the property and Johnson admitted he had been staying at another address in Wixams with his former partner and their two children

He also acknowledged he may not have stayed at the Roise Court flat “as much as he should.”

Councillor Mark Frost, portfolio holder for finance and corporate services, said: “Social housing and the council tax reduction scheme exist to support those in genuine need.

“When individuals retain properties they are not living in and claim or continue to receive support they are not entitled to, they deprive vulnerable people and families of a safe place to call home. They also place additional strain on council funds that could be used to support residents in genuine need.

“Bedford Borough Council and BPHA are committed to investigating frauds of this nature and ensuring that social housing and council funds are used for the purposes they are intended for.”