A Burwell man who illegally claimed over £5600 in Council Tax support has been fined.

Martyn Cubitt, 66, of Hawthorn Way defrauded East Cambridgeshire District Council of £5669.17.

Cubitt pleaded guilty to two fraud offences at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 28 May.

The first was for failing to declare he had access to capital in excess of the prescribed limits.

To be eligible to claim Council Tax support, Cubitt said he and his wife only had access to two bank accounts which jointly contained less than the prescribed limit, and therefore entitled them to support.

However, a fraud investigation revealed that between them the couple held 16 different bank accounts at some point during the dates the offence was committed.

Cubitt also pleaded guilty to a second offence of failing to notify the council that his wife had started paid employment during the time the Council Tax support was claimed.

Both are contrary to Regulation 8 of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (Detection of Fraud and Enforcement) Regulations 2013.

The offences were committed between 1 April 2013 and 21 November 2023.

All money has since been recovered by the council. Cubitt was fined £200 and ordered to pay £1000 towards the costs of the prosecution and a £32 victim surcharge.