NEARLY £50,000 has been recovered since Hyndburn Borough Council launched a crackdown in April on residents evading council tax or fraudulently claiming benefits.

The number of reports of suspected claimants has risen, the council said, as it revealed nine prosecutions had been brought, 16 cautions had been issued and one fine had been levied since the start of the financial year.

A spokesman for the council said the earlier a cheat is caught, the easier it is for them.

He said: “Reporting benefit cheats can inadvertently help the fraudster as the quicker we catch them the less likely they are to end up in court.

“They will still be dealt with and they will still have to pay all of it back.

“Even without court we still either issue them with an official caution for the offence or an administrative penalty, which is a fine.

“The choice of which of these is applied depends on the circumstances of the case and whether the fraudster is co-operative or not”

Fraud can be reported anonymously by calling 01254 380240 or online at http://tinyurl.com/nx3wpvu