0:00:02 > 0:00:04Saints and Scroungers puts the spotlight on benefit thieves-
0:00:04 > 0:00:08those who ruthlessly steal millions of pounds from the British taxpayer -
0:00:08 > 0:00:10but we also search out the Saints,
0:00:10 > 0:00:16the people who help put unclaimed cash into the hands of those that really deserve it.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43Saints and Scroungers is all about busting benefit thieves, who steal millions every year,
0:00:43 > 0:00:47and the crack team of investigators,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50determined to scupper their devious scams.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54And we also shine a light on those who genuinely need the money,
0:00:54 > 0:00:56and the people who help them get it.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58They are our Saints.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01The Saints get help and the fraudsters get their come-uppance.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Coming up on today's show.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08How a married woman pretended to be single
0:01:08 > 0:01:12to swindle over £140,000 out of the benefits system.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Mrs Austin completed eight claim forms.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19In each of the claim forms she declared she was a lone parent,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22with two children, and had no other means of support herself.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26And we have the Saints.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31The cost of a life-changing wheelchair for a daughter proves a challenge for her parents.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34For the future I would like to move out of home
0:01:34 > 0:01:37and build a life for myself.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42Hopefully get a job, and live as independently as possible.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48You're a single mum living with kids. That's tough at the best of times,
0:01:48 > 0:01:52but that's why the benefit system is there, to give you a helping hand.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55But if you have a husband who's bringing home the bacon,
0:01:55 > 0:01:58should you be dipping your hand into the taxpayers' pot?
0:02:00 > 0:02:04On the edge of East London, Samantha Austin, a 37-year-old mother,
0:02:04 > 0:02:09claimed to be a single parent living on the breadline.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12But Mrs Austin may be nowhere near as needy as she seemed.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16She's suspected of defrauding the London Borough of Havering
0:02:16 > 0:02:22out of £141,000, the biggest benefit scam in the council's history.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Chris Henry is the manager in charge of benefits.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30'I've come to meet her and get the low-down on this shocking case.'
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Good to meet you. Tell me a little bit about Havering.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37A lot of people think it's in Essex, but you're a London borough, aren't you?
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Yes, that's right. It's the second largest London borough,
0:02:40 > 0:02:45and it comprises 234,000 people.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49Of those people, how many are on benefits of one kind or another?
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Just under 21,000.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55- What does that cost the council each year?- About 100 million.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59Wherever you get money in benefits, you'll get scroungers and cheats.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02How much is being fiddled each year?
0:03:02 > 0:03:08Last year we recouped nearly £1 million of fraudulent overpayment,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11and we've still got about £100,000 of that to collect.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14It's up to the council's fraud team
0:03:14 > 0:03:18to track down the guilty culprits and bring them to justice.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20In 2008, following a tip-off,
0:03:20 > 0:03:26they began looking into the case of Samantha Austin.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31This investigator needs to keep her identity secret,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33due to the sensitive nature of her work.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Work and Pensions received an anonymous phone call,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40suggesting that Samantha Austin,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43who was claiming as a lone person, with two children,
0:03:43 > 0:03:46and her partner, who was working full-time,
0:03:46 > 0:03:47was actually living with her.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51The department made some initial inquiries on their systems,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53and staff established Samantha Austin
0:03:53 > 0:03:56was in receipt of Income Support as a lone person.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59There was a housing and council tax benefit interest,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02so they contacted the London Borough of Havering,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05to invite them in for a joint investigation.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07As a single mum, with no income,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10she was claiming nearly £300 a week
0:04:10 > 0:04:13in housing and council tax benefit and Income Support.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17But as the wife of a man in full-time employment,
0:04:17 > 0:04:18she would not be eligible.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22The investigators' first step was to check the history
0:04:22 > 0:04:27of any benefit claims made by Samantha Austin to Havering Council.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30We made our own initial enquiries, and established that
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Mrs Austin had been in receipt of housing and council tax benefit
0:04:34 > 0:04:38as a lone parent with two children since at least 1996.
0:04:38 > 0:04:43If this was fraud, it had been going on for 13 years.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46This was a potentially massive case.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48What the team needed to prove
0:04:48 > 0:04:51was Samantha Austin had lied on her claim forms.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Was she really a lone parent, relying on benefit?
0:04:57 > 0:05:01Or was she a married woman, supported by her husband, brazenly cheating the system?
0:05:01 > 0:05:04They began examining her story.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07In one of Mrs Austin's earlier claim forms,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10she has declared that her husband was in prison,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and that she had currently separated from him.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17She stated also she wasn't sure when he was going to return.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Council records showed that the benefit department had written
0:05:22 > 0:05:27to Samantha in 1999, to check if her circumstances had changed.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Were she and her husband still separated,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32or were they now living together?
0:05:32 > 0:05:38Samantha Austin wrote back, saying (BLEEP) Austin was in prison,
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and she didn't know whether he was going to move back in,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44and that his mail was being forwarded to his parents' address.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Samantha told the council she was single,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52and didn't once mention her husband on any paperwork.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Mrs Austin completed eight claim forms,
0:05:55 > 0:05:59and in each she declared she was a lone parent, with two children,
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and had no other means to support herself.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Could she be telling the truth?
0:06:04 > 0:06:06Could the anonymous caller have got it wrong?
0:06:06 > 0:06:10The fraud team got to work, looking for evidence.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Samantha Austin declared to us on her application form for benefit
0:06:14 > 0:06:17she lived at Saddleworth Square in a property behind us,
0:06:17 > 0:06:21so the London Borough of Havering was able to look at the tenancy agreement,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25and from there we found (BLEEP) Austin's name was on the tenancy agreement.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30That told us he was jointly liable for the rent.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33So they were joint council tenants.
0:06:33 > 0:06:39But the investigators needed more proof that Mr and Mrs Austin were still a couple.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44While we were making inquiries, we noticed that Mrs Austin declared
0:06:44 > 0:06:46she had two children on her claim,
0:06:46 > 0:06:50and they were both born after 1996.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54So birth certificates were obtained, and on the birth certificates
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Mr Austin was declared as the father,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59and that he put his address down
0:06:59 > 0:07:02as the same as Mrs Austin's claim address.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06So in the period she's claiming to be separated from her husband,
0:07:06 > 0:07:10Samantha Austin has had not one but two children by him,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13and he's listed as living at her address.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Single mum? Samantha?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Pull the other one, it's got bells on it!
0:07:18 > 0:07:23The birth certificates proved that Samantha had lied about her circumstances.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28But the investigation team wanted more up-to-date information.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31We contacted the Pupil Services,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34which is where children register for their school.
0:07:34 > 0:07:40That established that Mr and Mrs Austin were declared as both the children's next of kin,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and they both had the same contact numbers and address.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46The evidence against her was mounting up,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50and Samantha's story was looking decidedly shaky.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52But if they were going to accuse her of fraud,
0:07:52 > 0:07:56the council needed to know if her husband was supporting her financially.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57Still to come -
0:07:57 > 0:08:02the investigators discover a joint bank account.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04The area where the withdrawals were being made
0:08:04 > 0:08:07was the Harold Hill area, where Samantha Austin lived.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09But would it be the proof they needed
0:08:09 > 0:08:13to bring the suspected scrounger to justice?
0:08:15 > 0:08:20Later on, this conman was filmed busily washing his car -
0:08:20 > 0:08:22but on his benefit form,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25he claimed he needed help just to get up in the morning.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27He told us he was virtually unable to use his hands
0:08:27 > 0:08:30and needed help with preparing a meal, washing and dressing.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37For now, it's farewell to the fraudsters
0:08:37 > 0:08:42and hello to the people we call our Saints, those who are in genuine need of help but are too proud,
0:08:42 > 0:08:46or don't know how to claim what is rightfully theirs,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48and the people who point them in the right direction.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Most of us take for granted the simple things in life,
0:08:56 > 0:09:00but imagine if your children were born with such severe disabilities
0:09:00 > 0:09:03that even walking and talking was impossible.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Wouldn't you want to do everything within your power
0:09:06 > 0:09:08to make their lives as happy as you could?
0:09:09 > 0:09:1418-year-old Tayla was born with a debilitating muscle condition.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18COMPUTERISED VOICE: What frustrates me the most about my condition
0:09:18 > 0:09:22is that my body just doesn't do what I tell it to do.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23Her 16-year-old brother Jordan
0:09:23 > 0:09:28also suffers from the same chronic disability.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Their parents, Debbie and Chris,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33knew that they were going to need help, but they had no idea
0:09:33 > 0:09:36how much and what impact it would have on their lives.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43Debbie gave birth to Tayla after a happy and normal pregnancy,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45but it wasn't long before she started to worry
0:09:45 > 0:09:48that there was something wrong with her daughter.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52It first became apparent to me that Tayla had some issues
0:09:52 > 0:09:54when she was about 15 months.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58She started walking about 13 months,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02but they're very doddery at first, toddlers,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and it really became apparent to me
0:10:05 > 0:10:08that she was different from her peers
0:10:08 > 0:10:12when she started attending a toddler group.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16She was trying to stand up and make those first steps,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19as any normal child would, and she kept falling over,
0:10:19 > 0:10:21kept falling over and kept falling over.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24At first, we thought it was just growing pains,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26but after weeks and months,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29we decided that it, er, it perhaps wasn't.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32They arranged to see a child development doctor
0:10:32 > 0:10:34to discuss their worries.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Never having had a child before,
0:10:37 > 0:10:46I didn't have the expertise to know for sure whether her differences
0:10:46 > 0:10:50were within normal parameters, it just looked different to me
0:10:50 > 0:10:51and just felt different.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54My instinct told me that there was something wrong.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58She told me that I was paranoid
0:10:58 > 0:11:02and that Tayla was just walking a bit differently
0:11:02 > 0:11:06from the other children but not to worry about it.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10But when their son Jordan was born just a few weeks later,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13a health visitor spotted that Tayla wasn't walking normally.
0:11:13 > 0:11:19Tayla was falling and doing...walking badly,
0:11:19 > 0:11:24as she did, missing...just about missing doorframes and fireplaces.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27She turned to me and she said to me, "That's not right."
0:11:27 > 0:11:30And I said, "This is what I've been trying to explain.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32"This is what she does, this is the problem."
0:11:32 > 0:11:36So she said, "You need to go back to the child development doctor,"
0:11:36 > 0:11:38and I wouldn't, so I went and saw my GP,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42who was brilliant, and she referred me to the paediatrician.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45When Tayla was 21 months old,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48doctors thought they'd found out what was wrong with her.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52She was diagnosed originally with cerebral palsy.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57Jordan was a baby, he was literally three weeks old at this point.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00We started seeing physios.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01But then at eight months,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Jordan started showing similar symptoms to his sister.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06He wasn't hitting milestones,
0:12:06 > 0:12:10he wasn't achieving what they would expect at that age,
0:12:10 > 0:12:12and it was at that point they realised
0:12:12 > 0:12:18we didn't have cerebral palsy and we are still undiagnosed to this day.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22The process of understanding what Tayla had was never a shock.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24It was never a shock to myself or Deborah
0:12:24 > 0:12:28and we kept our heads above water and just really...
0:12:28 > 0:12:31"OK, let's deal with it, get on with it."
0:12:31 > 0:12:34No-one knew how it was going to develop,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37cos we didn't know what we'd got, erm,
0:12:37 > 0:12:41and we basically worked our way through various teams of doctors
0:12:41 > 0:12:44that specialised in various conditions.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Their condition is purely muscle weakness
0:12:47 > 0:12:49and it affects all muscle groups,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53muscle groups associated with speech and movement.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56So, you know, the children now don't talk.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Tayla needed a wheelchair by the time she was ten and Jordan,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04whose condition is more severe, from just three years old.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07The condition has had a huge impact on their everyday life.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12Jordan's posture affected his breathing and eating.
0:13:12 > 0:13:18Tayla has some issues with swallowing, er, closing her mouth.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Their brains are completely normal and active
0:13:21 > 0:13:26but they have communication issues and Jordan writes using software
0:13:26 > 0:13:29and a head switch because, over the years,
0:13:29 > 0:13:32he's lost the control of his hands
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and Tayla has to wear a night splint
0:13:35 > 0:13:37to keep the mobility in her hands
0:13:37 > 0:13:40so that she's able to still write and type.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45'Dealing with her children's disabilities
0:13:45 > 0:13:47'must have been a massive challenge.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50'I've come to meet Debbie to find out how she's coped.'
0:13:50 > 0:13:53- Hello, Debbie.- Hello, Dom. - Good to meet you.- And you.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56- What a beautiful place you've got here!- Thank you!
0:13:56 > 0:14:00'Debbie was forced to give up her job and work part-time for the family business
0:14:00 > 0:14:03'so that she could fit her hours around the children
0:14:03 > 0:14:08'and the family moved to a house on one level to give their kids as much freedom as possible.'
0:14:08 > 0:14:13The children were getting to the point where they were harder to carry upstairs
0:14:13 > 0:14:16and they needed to be able to get into their rooms to play.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20We moved here when Tayla was six years old.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24We knew there were going to have to be adaptations to make.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28We actually had to knock a big bathroom together
0:14:28 > 0:14:33into another room, put a bigger bedroom on for Jordan
0:14:33 > 0:14:38so that we could hoist him from his bed into the bathroom.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43'But making sure Tayla and Jordan get the most out of life hasn't been cheap.'
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Everything to do with anyone with special needs carries a premium, doesn't it?
0:14:47 > 0:14:50It's all got three zeros at the end, is my favourite saying!
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Everything with the kids seems to have three zeros at the end.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56You're going to pay through the nose, aren't you?
0:14:56 > 0:14:58It's expensive, it's expensive being disabled
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and getting the equipment you need and running it.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06'From car adaptations to ramps to computers, it all costs money,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10'and with two disabled children, every expense is doubled.'
0:15:10 > 0:15:11At one point,
0:15:11 > 0:15:18the communication aids that the children had were £2,500 each.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Jordan needs a new communication aid at this point
0:15:22 > 0:15:26and the base equipment for that is £4,500
0:15:26 > 0:15:29and then you have to maintain these pieces of equipment.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33When they go wrong, it's £500 here and there,
0:15:33 > 0:15:39the warranties for the wheelchairs cost £300-500, the services,
0:15:39 > 0:15:41it's like servicing a car.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44It was a financial strain as well as a physical strain.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46It always has been.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50If money's tight, you can't say, "Well, OK, we'll downsize
0:15:50 > 0:15:53"on the car and have a little run-around for a few months."
0:15:53 > 0:15:55- You can't do that. - You need a big car.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59You can't sort of say, "We'll go and live in a flat."
0:15:59 > 0:16:02You can't do that, you need space.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06I know this looks nice, but it's all done, really, to house the kids.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Everything's been pushed to the limit.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12'Life is hugely expensive for the Woods.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15'They've poured money into giving their children
0:16:15 > 0:16:18'the best family life possible but they need a helping hand.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22'Tayla and Jordan both receive Disability Living Allowance and, as young children,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'the National Health Service paid a large percentage
0:16:25 > 0:16:28'of the most expensive equipment - their powered wheelchairs.'
0:16:28 > 0:16:31They come and assess the children
0:16:31 > 0:16:36and then they assess their basic minimum needs,
0:16:36 > 0:16:40so you can get a powered wheelchair with a seat on it,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43a plain seat that you and I could sit in.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45A basic...?
0:16:45 > 0:16:50A basic seat, but the children have additional needs
0:16:50 > 0:16:54and they can't just sit in a standard seat
0:16:54 > 0:16:58on a standard cushion, it wouldn't support them,
0:16:58 > 0:17:01they would fall to one side, etc.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04So it's those extra bits of equipment
0:17:04 > 0:17:08that you can't always get the funding for.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10The basic ones you would get free of charge, yep?
0:17:10 > 0:17:14Through the Wheelchair Service, so if you want anything above that...
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- You've gotta pay. - You've got to pay or you've got to find a way of funding it.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21'Debbie and Chris managed to find the money for the extras,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25'and with some additional help from children's charity the Whizz-Kidz,
0:17:25 > 0:17:29'both Jordan and Tayla got the wheelchairs they needed.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33'But a few years later, they faced the problem all over again.'
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Jordan's spine collapsed
0:17:35 > 0:17:41and he had a full spinal fusion a couple of years ago
0:17:41 > 0:17:46and he grew over six inches overnight
0:17:46 > 0:17:48when they straightened him out.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51And unfortunately he changed quite significantly
0:17:51 > 0:17:53so that he no longer fitted his chair.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57'It couldn't have come at a worse time financially.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59'Debbie and Chris had separated
0:17:59 > 0:18:01'and were now having to pay for two homes.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06Debbie had left the family business and was retraining for a new career.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09We'd been very lucky over the years in that
0:18:09 > 0:18:12me and Deborah worked very hard and we were able to buy
0:18:12 > 0:18:15a house that we felt could be adapted for the children.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17But there are some things that are just out of reach
0:18:17 > 0:18:20and instantly have got to be got and you've got to
0:18:20 > 0:18:23find between 10 and 15,000 and that just can't be done.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27Your instinct is not to ask for help but you just can't fund everything.
0:18:27 > 0:18:34Jordan's last chair cost close to £13,000.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37- That's dearer than a car. - It is dearer than a car.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40It's nearly as expensive to run as a car as well.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44Knowing that the NHS Wheelchair Service would only contribute some
0:18:44 > 0:18:47of the money, they had to find some way of paying the rest.
0:18:47 > 0:18:52She turned to a number of charities including Caudwell Children.
0:18:52 > 0:18:58They had funded a number of football chairs for children
0:18:58 > 0:19:01within our powerchair football club.
0:19:01 > 0:19:07And they came to a competition and were handing out leaflets.
0:19:07 > 0:19:12Set up by businessman John Caudwell 11 years ago, the charity
0:19:12 > 0:19:15helps pay for specialist equipment and treatment for sick
0:19:15 > 0:19:17and disabled children across the UK.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21Any child that has a chronic illness or disability can actually
0:19:21 > 0:19:24be helped by the charity providing they were within the criteria.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27The household income, excluding any benefits
0:19:27 > 0:19:30they may receive, has to be under £45,000.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33They were delighted when Caudwell and other charities
0:19:33 > 0:19:37they approached agreed to pay for the new wheelchair but no sooner had they
0:19:37 > 0:19:41solved Jordan's needs than Tayla presented them with a new challenge.
0:19:41 > 0:19:47When she did her GCSEs, she was actually assessed by the
0:19:47 > 0:19:52Wheelchair Service as needing some adaptations to that wheelchair.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55To enable access to, um,
0:19:57 > 0:20:00equipment that was higher that she couldn't reach.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Um, but unfortunately, Wheelchair Service weren't able to help us
0:20:04 > 0:20:06with this equipment.
0:20:06 > 0:20:11At 16, Tayla left school and enrolled at a specialist residential
0:20:11 > 0:20:15college to further her studies and learn to do more for herself.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Ann Isemonger is the senior occupational therapist
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and teaches the students life skills.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Might be making their breakfast, it may be getting themselves dressed.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29It may be finding their way to the shops and back, catching buses.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Anything that's going to prepare them to be independent when they leave.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37But her old wheelchair was holding her back.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40She had it when she was at school. She's now in her last year at college
0:20:40 > 0:20:43so Tayla has changed a lot in that time and what
0:20:43 > 0:20:48she had it for then was basically for mobility and posture needs.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52She now needs it for more accessibility which the chair
0:20:52 > 0:20:53doesn't offer her.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56I can't reach things in shops, on high shelves
0:20:56 > 0:21:00and I'm shy about asking strangers for help.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04It's highlighted a number of different needs for her.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06As life moves on, you suddenly see
0:21:06 > 0:21:09the shortcomings of the equipment you've got.
0:21:09 > 0:21:15Now she's becoming more independent is,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19she really needs a chair that's got a riser and that
0:21:19 > 0:21:25literally is a chair which the seat will move up so she comes at eye level.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30That's nice so that she could talk to you or I standing up.
0:21:30 > 0:21:35Now this new chair, I know it's going to be expensive, how much?
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Over £6,000.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Wow.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44Debbie was determined that Tayla, just like Jordan, would have the chair she needed
0:21:44 > 0:21:47and there was only one way she could make it happen.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Tayla desperately needed a new wheelchair
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and there just isn't the funds available.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54It's like funding another car.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Caudwell were my first port of call to see
0:21:58 > 0:22:01whether they could actually help us fund the chair.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05We will get probably between 30 and 40 applications a week.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08The range that we cover can be from power chairs,
0:22:08 > 0:22:11therapies under the UK autism scheme,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15sensory equipment, it could be for therapy tricycles,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18for very specialised buggies. So a very, very wide range.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21But what the Wood family didn't know
0:22:21 > 0:22:24was whether Tayla's application would get the green light.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26We try to help everybody
0:22:26 > 0:22:31but obviously on occasions families don't meet the criteria for what we do
0:22:31 > 0:22:35so unfortunately we have to say no to those.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40Later in the programme, would Caudwell Children be the saints
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Tayla needed to help her achieve her goals?
0:22:42 > 0:22:45For the future, I would like to move out of home
0:22:45 > 0:22:47and build a life for myself.
0:22:47 > 0:22:52Hopefully get a job and live as independently as possible.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00But first, we revisit the devious world of the scrounger.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04And here's a message to those benefit thieves out there -
0:23:04 > 0:23:06smile, you're on camera.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13They think they're clever, they think they can beat the system,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17but every year, thousands of benefit cheats get put under surveillance.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22Welcome to the undercover world of benefit fraud investigators
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and the cheats they love to catch out.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Now, I've got to admit, when it comes to cleaning the car,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32I'm a little bit on the lazy side.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36I'd rather go to the car wash than roll my sleeves up and do it myself.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Not like this bloke, though.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I mean, he's doing a smashing job scrubbing and cleaning.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43In fact, I'd probably even let him clean my car,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45which is strange, though.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47You see, Christopher Parker claimed that he had
0:23:47 > 0:23:52such severe problems with his hands that he needed round-the-clock care.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54In his claim form, he told us
0:23:54 > 0:23:58he was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, which meant that
0:23:58 > 0:24:01he wasn't able to walk very far without any great discomfort
0:24:01 > 0:24:05and that he was virtually unable to use his hands
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and needed help with preparing a meal, washing and dressing.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13In 2005, Christopher was awarded disability living allowance
0:24:13 > 0:24:17at the highest rate for care and at the lower rate for mobility.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Disability living allowance is meant for those people
0:24:20 > 0:24:24who need help with their day-to-day lives,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27in particular people who have difficulty getting around.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32People may need help with preparing a meal, washing or dressing,
0:24:32 > 0:24:37if they have difficulty using their hands or difficulty standing.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39The benefit is designed to help people
0:24:39 > 0:24:45and we make an award based on the severity of someone's disability.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48But then, the Department for Work and Pensions got a call
0:24:48 > 0:24:51to say that Parker was spinning them a yarn.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53We received an anonymous tip-off,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56through our National Benefit Fraud Hotline,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00that he'd overstated his condition in order to claim
0:25:00 > 0:25:02disability living allowance and, in fact,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06he wasn't as disabled as he purported to be.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Investigators decided it was time to spy on this suspected cheat.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13We conducted surveillance on Mr Parker and had
0:25:13 > 0:25:17some footage of him walking normally and carrying out duties
0:25:17 > 0:25:22which involved him using his hands all the time and betraying
0:25:22 > 0:25:25no symptoms of what he'd told the department he suffered from.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28We asked our doctor to see if he could spot any signs
0:25:28 > 0:25:32of the severe disabilities Parker had claimed.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Rheumatoid arthritis is what's called an autoimmune disease,
0:25:35 > 0:25:40where the body produces antibodies against its own tissues.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43In this case, it's the joint tissues which are affected,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47which can lead to breakdown of the cartilage
0:25:47 > 0:25:49in the joints, of any joint in the body,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52often starts in the hands, but it can occur anywhere.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55The joints become disrupted,
0:25:55 > 0:26:00they become painful, swollen and inflamed. This is Mr Parker.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03He's bending down quite a long way now, there doesn't seem
0:26:03 > 0:26:08to be any impairment of his ability to walk around the car or move.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11If he's claiming lots of problems with his hands,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14so he can't care for himself, I wouldn't expect
0:26:14 > 0:26:16somebody to be able to, you know, hold a hosepipe
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and to clean their car in the way that he's doing.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24He's now hosing down some...material -
0:26:24 > 0:26:29I can't quite tell what - and wringing it out.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31Wringing something out does require
0:26:31 > 0:26:34quite a bit of manoeuvrability of your hands.
0:26:34 > 0:26:38If you had painful joints in your hands, you wouldn't be able to,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40but he seems to be doing everything normally.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44So, he'd been caught on camera happily washing his car,
0:26:44 > 0:26:49despite claiming that he was severely disabled, but get this!
0:26:49 > 0:26:52The team then discovered that Christopher Parker,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56who claimed he even needed help washing and dressing himself,
0:26:56 > 0:27:00was actually working as a security guard in the airport.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02We then contacted his employer,
0:27:02 > 0:27:05got a copy of his application form that he'd filled in
0:27:05 > 0:27:08to apply for a job as a security guard at the airport.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11In that claim form, there's a specific question
0:27:11 > 0:27:14which asks the applicant whether they have any disability
0:27:14 > 0:27:17and he had told them he had no disability at all.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20It was time for a little chat.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24We called Christopher Parker in for an interview. During that,
0:27:24 > 0:27:30he accepted the footage of being able to do more than he'd stated.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32He couldn't offer any explanation
0:27:32 > 0:27:36as to why he put what he put on the employee's application form.
0:27:36 > 0:27:40Parker paid back all the money he stole from the public purse
0:27:40 > 0:27:45and, in December 2010, he appeared at Derby Magistrates' Court
0:27:45 > 0:27:52and pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming £15,311 worth of benefit.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55He was sentenced to a 12-month community order,
0:27:55 > 0:27:5980 hours of unpaid work and was made to pay £100 costs.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03The shocking thing about Christopher Parker's case is
0:28:03 > 0:28:08he was sent renewal forms on a regular basis by the department
0:28:08 > 0:28:12each time asking him whether there'd been any change
0:28:12 > 0:28:15to his original claim form and his circumstances
0:28:15 > 0:28:18and he told the department there had been no change
0:28:18 > 0:28:22whilst all the while he'd been working in a physical occupation,
0:28:22 > 0:28:26so it was quite clear he had set out to defraud the department.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Now, I'd say that's one security man caught well and truly off-guard.
0:28:33 > 0:28:38Still to come, as the net tightens around suspected benefit thief,
0:28:38 > 0:28:42Samantha Austin, she tells investigators they've got it wrong.
0:28:42 > 0:28:48- She denied again that- BLEEP- Austin was living at the property.
0:28:48 > 0:28:49What she did say was that
0:28:49 > 0:28:52he came on the weekends to visit and he slept on the couch.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Tayla and her brother Jordan
0:28:57 > 0:29:00were both born with a severely disabling muscle condition.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02It affects all aspects of their lives
0:29:02 > 0:29:05and means they are unable to walk or even talk.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09Their parents, Debbie and Chris, have worked hard to give them
0:29:09 > 0:29:12as much as possible, including a specially adapted family home.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16But when Tayla needed a new powered wheelchair, the money wasn't there
0:29:16 > 0:29:20and they turned to charity Caudwell Children to ask for help.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23The charity pays for life-changing equipment
0:29:23 > 0:29:26and therapy for sick and disabled children all over the UK.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30But with up to 40 applications a week, Debbie wasn't sure
0:29:30 > 0:29:32if Tayla would be one of the lucky ones.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36We try to help everybody, but obviously, on occasions,
0:29:36 > 0:29:41families don't meet the criteria for what we do, so, unfortunately,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43we have to say no to those
0:29:43 > 0:29:48and the unique thing with our charity is that,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51for those that we do agree to make awards to,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55we don't have a waiting list, so they get what they need fairly quickly.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59Debbie didn't have to wait long for an answer.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03They offered us 80% of the money for Tayla's chair,
0:30:03 > 0:30:08which was amazing, and then it was looking to find someone else
0:30:08 > 0:30:10that would fund the difference.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15Jan at Caudwell Children advised her just where to go.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18I asked her if she had spoken to Wheelchair Services
0:30:18 > 0:30:21to look at the option there of having a wheelchair voucher.
0:30:21 > 0:30:24The wheelchair vouchers are a form of benefit
0:30:24 > 0:30:29paid by the National Health Service. It will only provide basic chairs,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32but will help towards the payment of a more specialist machine.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37We spent about 10 or 15 minutes going through what was entailed,
0:30:37 > 0:30:41who she'd need to speak to, how she'd have to go about getting there.
0:30:41 > 0:30:46I had assumed the Wheelchair Service couldn't help us,
0:30:46 > 0:30:50but they were brilliant. They actually came out, assessed Tayla,
0:30:50 > 0:30:53and said they would be very happy to fund what they would consider
0:30:53 > 0:30:58a normal base chair, so Wheelchair Service have provided
0:30:58 > 0:31:02the funds which make up the difference and will allow us to
0:31:02 > 0:31:05pay for the maintenance of that chair for about a year.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08'So, with private funding from Caudwell Children,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11'and public money from the National Health Service,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14'the cost of Tayla's chair had been covered.'
0:31:14 > 0:31:17- That's worked out rather well, hasn't it?- It has.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19- How do you feel?- Relieved.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22It's such a brilliant envelope to get, to open it and go,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26"Yes, it's going to happen, she's going to get the chair she needs."
0:31:26 > 0:31:30- When that envelope arrived...- Yeah. - ..what did you do?- I ran into Tayla.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Right, and what did you say?
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- I said, "You're getting your new chair."- And what did she do?
0:31:35 > 0:31:37She squeaked. Tayla squeaks.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39- A happy squeak? - A happy squeak, yeah.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43We're absolutely thrilled that Caudwell have come in and, er,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46offered to support us financially to get Tayla the chair,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49to give her a new lease of life
0:31:49 > 0:31:53and give her a lot more scope with her future years.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58It will enable Tayla to do many more things independently, er,
0:31:58 > 0:32:04she will have independent access where she's currently limited,
0:32:04 > 0:32:10so, hopefully, it should open up a whole new chapter of her life.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Three months later, her new wheelchair
0:32:12 > 0:32:17was delivered to Tayla at college and she couldn't wait to try it out.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20'I am really enjoying the independence
0:32:20 > 0:32:24'and being able to interact with people at eye level,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27'rather than people looking down on me.'
0:32:27 > 0:32:29As well as being able to go up and down,
0:32:29 > 0:32:33it works for longer without being charged, goes faster
0:32:33 > 0:32:35and can be turned around in a smaller space,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38all making life that little bit easier for Tayla.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42'The new chair is going to make it easier for me
0:32:42 > 0:32:48'to access public transport and get around more on my own if I want to.
0:32:48 > 0:32:53'It will be nice not to have to rely on other people all of the time.'
0:32:55 > 0:32:59'Independence for Tayla is very, very important.'
0:32:59 > 0:33:04And if a simple thing like going into the supermarket and buying something,
0:33:04 > 0:33:07and knowing she can get it off a shelf if she wants it,
0:33:07 > 0:33:11not having to ask somebody, will make a massive difference to her.
0:33:11 > 0:33:16Because she also has reduced limb function and grip strength,
0:33:16 > 0:33:21she can actually reach things without having to lift her arms very far.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23She can raise the chair up to the level she wants.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25What's so important for Tayla is,
0:33:25 > 0:33:29it will give her the chance to do what she wants, when she wants.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31Tayla is very conscious of her appearance.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33She wants to be able to take herself to the hairdresser
0:33:33 > 0:33:35and be treated just like everybody else.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37The chair can raise up and tip back
0:33:37 > 0:33:41and she can actually access the basin.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Now in her final year,
0:33:43 > 0:33:46Tayla is starting to plan for life beyond college.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49For the future, I would like to move out of home
0:33:49 > 0:33:52and build a life for myself.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56Hopefully get a job and live as independently as possible.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00Caudwell Children have been amazing.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04I cannot thank them enough for their help.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Without them, I wouldn't have a chair I really needed.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11It has taken a lot of hard work for those saints at Caudwell Children
0:34:11 > 0:34:14but now Tayla's got that brand new chair,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18I have a funny feeling with all that new-found conference and freedom,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21there is going to be no stopping her.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Now it's back to the world of those who abuse the benefits system.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30The fraud team at Havering Council
0:34:30 > 0:34:34were on the trail of suspected scrounger Samantha Austin.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38An anonymous caller tipped off the Department for Work and Pensions
0:34:38 > 0:34:42that Samantha was claiming benefits as a single mother
0:34:42 > 0:34:45but was actually living with her husband who had a full-time job.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47The investigators got to work.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49We looked at our records
0:34:49 > 0:34:56and found that Samantha Austin had been claiming housing accounts and tax benefits since 1996.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58She'd renewed her claim several times,
0:34:58 > 0:35:03each time saying she was a single claimant in receipt of income support.
0:35:03 > 0:35:08Samantha told the council she'd separated from her husband in 1996
0:35:08 > 0:35:11but records show they'd shared the tenancy on their house.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15Not just that, but she'd had two children during her 13-year claim period
0:35:15 > 0:35:21and on the birth certificates, he was named as the father, living at the same address.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24So, it looked like the Austins were still a couple.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27But, was Mr Austin supporting his wife and children?
0:35:27 > 0:35:30If so, not only had she lied on her forms
0:35:30 > 0:35:34but she had claimed thousands that she wasn't entitled to.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38The investigators now turned their attention to the couple's finances.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42After gathering the credit check on Mr and Mrs Austin,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45the bank account which came up on Mr Austin's name
0:35:45 > 0:35:49also matched a bank account which was in Mrs Austin's name
0:35:49 > 0:35:51so we established there was a joint account
0:35:51 > 0:35:56which the London Borough of Havering and the Department of Work and Pensions were not made aware of.
0:35:56 > 0:36:01The council got access to bank statements from the joint account
0:36:01 > 0:36:03and made a very interesting discovery.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07An engineering company was making regular payments into the account.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11The bank statements showed payments were coming in from a company
0:36:11 > 0:36:16so we checked with the Companies House website.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19All limited companies in the UK are registered with Companies House
0:36:19 > 0:36:22and have to submit their annual accounts.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26The search of their records reveal not just how well businesses are doing
0:36:26 > 0:36:27but who owns them.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32It came up that Mr Austin was listed as a director
0:36:32 > 0:36:35and also a shareholder with his parents.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37Director of a company?
0:36:37 > 0:36:41Probably got a few quid and if she's got a joint account with him,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43I'm guessing she's not short of a bob or two either.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47The search revealed that the firm was registered at...
0:36:47 > 0:36:50you guessed it, Samantha's address.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Not only was it paying into her joint account,
0:36:53 > 0:36:55but when they examined the bank statements,
0:36:55 > 0:36:58it looked like she was helping herself to the cash as well.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00The area where the withdrawals were being made
0:37:00 > 0:37:04was the Harold Hill area where Samantha Austin lived.
0:37:04 > 0:37:09At no point during the 13-year period did she tell us about the joint bank account
0:37:09 > 0:37:11and the monies going through it.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15Had she done so, it would have significantly reduced
0:37:15 > 0:37:19or even nullified the amount of benefit that she received from the council.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22She wouldn't have been entitled to any money in all likelihood.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26So what happened when you called Samantha Austin in for an interview under caution?
0:37:26 > 0:37:29Did she roll over, put her hands up and say, you've got me?
0:37:29 > 0:37:31No, she was in complete denial.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35When she was asked about the whereabouts of BLEEP Austin,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38she said that he was not living with her
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and she said he lived with his parents.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44But you had evidence and you must have presented that to her?
0:37:44 > 0:37:45Absolutely.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48She looked at the evidence that we provided
0:37:48 > 0:37:55and she denied again that Austin was living at the property.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58What she did say was that he came on the weekends to visit
0:37:58 > 0:38:00and he slept on the couch.
0:38:00 > 0:38:06Samantha Austin said it suited her husband to carry on using her address.
0:38:06 > 0:38:12Mrs Austin stated that he only uses it as a correspondence address
0:38:12 > 0:38:17because he had bad credit and couldn't use his parents' address.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19During the interview, Mrs Austin was asked,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22that as she had been separated from her husband for over a decade,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25why hadn't divorce proceedings been started.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28She struggled to explain this
0:38:28 > 0:38:32and after a while, she said that she had no reason
0:38:32 > 0:38:36why she hadn't started divorce proceedings.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41But what about those cash withdrawals from their joint account?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44You had some pretty damning evidence in the form of accounts
0:38:44 > 0:38:47and money being spent and things like that.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49How was she justifying it?
0:38:49 > 0:38:53She said that BLEEP Austin said she was only allowed to use the bank card she was given
0:38:53 > 0:38:57for the joint bank account to purchase items for the children.
0:38:57 > 0:38:58What was she buying?
0:38:58 > 0:39:01Well, from the statements we have,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05we can see she has made eight withdrawals from off-licences,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08she's been spending money at the beauty salon.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Crikey, so you can't really deny that, can you?
0:39:11 > 0:39:16Not really relevant at all to children's items.
0:39:16 > 0:39:17She's lying?
0:39:17 > 0:39:18Absolutely.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20What happened when you told her that?
0:39:20 > 0:39:24She basically denied it.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28Some people are a bit daft, they don't think you can find out what they're spending money on,
0:39:28 > 0:39:30it's almost like they're blind to facts.
0:39:30 > 0:39:31Absolutely.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Because of the sheer weight of evidence that we had,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37that was enough for us.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Convinced they had a case, there was just one more person
0:39:40 > 0:39:43the investigation team wanted to hear from.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Before the file was passed for legal proceedings,
0:39:46 > 0:39:50we did invite Mr Austin to attend an interview under caution.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54Mr Austen confirmed that he had been using Mrs Austin's claim address for his post
0:39:54 > 0:39:58and that he took out credit there because he was blacklisted at his parents.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03Mr Austin's claim didn't make any sense to the investigators
0:40:03 > 0:40:08because we know that although many years ago,
0:40:08 > 0:40:10an address used to be blacklisted.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12In recent years, it's the person.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14So it didn't matter where he was living,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17bad credit would have followed him.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21Mr Austin also denied that he was supporting Samantha with his income.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24He said he didn't give her any money
0:40:24 > 0:40:26but allowed her to take money out of the joint account
0:40:26 > 0:40:28as long as it was for the children only,
0:40:28 > 0:40:30as he didn't want to feed her lifestyle.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33The investigators were now confident
0:40:33 > 0:40:37they had all the evidence they needed against Samantha Austin.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41Because the circumstances hadn't really been explained
0:40:41 > 0:40:47why Mr and Mrs Austin's lives were so entwined after all these years,
0:40:47 > 0:40:52we passed the file on to our solicitors for legal advice.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56They agreed that it was suitable for prosecution
0:40:56 > 0:40:57and sent a summons out to her.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59Tell me about the court case.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Samantha Austin was still pleading her innocence
0:41:01 > 0:41:03right up until the day before the trial.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10In September 2011, she appeared at Basildon Crown Court.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Samantha Austin was charged with two counts of fraud
0:41:12 > 0:41:15for housing and council tax benefit.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19Over 13 years, Samantha Austin had defrauded Havering Council
0:41:19 > 0:41:21and the Department for Work and Pensions
0:41:21 > 0:41:24out of £35,000 of housing benefit,
0:41:24 > 0:41:27£7,000 of council tax benefit
0:41:27 > 0:41:32and £99,000 of income support.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 16 months in prison.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40No charges were ever brought against her husband.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Now that seems like a very long stretch for somebody,
0:41:43 > 0:41:45especially a mother with children.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48Why do you think the judge delivered such a hard sentence?
0:41:48 > 0:41:52The period of criminality was so long, 13 years,
0:41:52 > 0:41:55the judge was obviously satisfied that BLEEP Austin was on the scene
0:41:55 > 0:41:58and could look after the children and therefore,
0:41:58 > 0:42:01in my opinion, quite rightly, sentenced her to 16 months.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04It's the largest amount of benefit
0:42:04 > 0:42:06that's been defrauded from the London Borough of Havering.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08I've been in benefits for 20 years now
0:42:08 > 0:42:11and this is the biggest scam that I have seen.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14£141,000 is a huge sum of money.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16- Will you get it back?- Absolutely.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18As soon as she comes out of prison,
0:42:18 > 0:42:22we will be making demands for her to pay that money.
0:00:00 > 0:00:00.
0:42:22 > 0:42:27From an investigator's point of view, this is a good outcome for the courts
0:42:27 > 0:42:32and Havering Council are not taking this lightly.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36A prison sentence is the only suitable way to deal with someone
0:42:36 > 0:42:39who can steal from the taxpayer's pocket.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43This dishonest scrounger took money from the public purse
0:42:43 > 0:42:45that she wasn't entitled to.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Money that should have gone to the vulnerable and needy.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50But thanks to the efforts of fraud investigators,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53her 13-year scam is now over.
0:42:53 > 0:42:54She's behind bars
0:42:54 > 0:42:59and on top of that, she'll have to pay back every penny she stole.
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0:43:16 > 0:43:19E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk