Sin Bin: Scots DWP Tax Credit adviser jailed over £33,000 benefits scam

Avril Murray, who worked at the DWP’s Dundee call centre, claimed she was a single mother while fraudulently raking in thousands for years.

The 50-year-old exploited her “good knowledge” of the benefits system to claim for the cash despite still living with her husband who had a full-time job.

Prosecutor Vicky Bell told Dundee Sheriff Court her crime was “exacerbated” by the fact she worked for the body she was scamming.

Bell said: “She was employed by the DWP in their Dundee contact centre until September 11 last year. She then resigned ahead of an interview under caution the following day.

“During the time she worked there, 10 years, she claimed working and single tax credits, and over a six-year period claimed housing benefit, council tax benefit and single person’s discount on her council tax. A total of £33,000 was fraudulently claimed over the period – £28,000 in tax credits and £5000 in housing and council tax benefit.

“She didn’t declare she was living with her husband, who was in full-time employment.

“This was exacerbated by the fact she was employed by the DWP to answer general inquiries about tax credits which necessitated her to have a good knowledge of the tax credit system and advise on them.

“Her husband was interviewed about this and said he had no knowledge of any of it. During a meeting with her manager at DWP, she said she had been silly to claim as a single person.”

First offender Murray, of Pitkerro Road, Dundee, admitted charges under the Tax Credits Act and the Social Security Administration Act.

Jim Laverty, defending, said: “I’d ask for bail to be continued in the meantime so that matters can be put in order.”

But yesterday Sheriff George Way jailed Murray for nine months and 15 days.

He said: “You didn’t do this so that you could feed your children. You say yourself that you did this so that your kids could have the things other people had.

“You took a conscious decision and this lasted for a decade.

“These crimes are easy to commit compared to, for example, planning a bank robbery.

“The court has to think about deterrents.”

Joff Parsons, from HMRC’S internal governance department, said: “Mrs Murray no longer works for HMRC, having resigned the day before she was interviewed under caution.

“This offence, which would be serious no matter who committed it, is made significantly worse by Murray’s thorough understanding of the tax credits system.

“She knew how serious her actions were as she stole money from taxpayers in Scotland.

“The honest customers Murray would have dealt with dayto-day would rightly expect far higher standards of behaviour from HMRC staff.

“HMRC is committed to high levels of staff integrity and we will investigate any suspected misconduct. As this result shows, any wrongdoing is pursued vigorously.”