'Commit fraud and you'll pay up' -- that is the hard hitting message from South Ribble Borough Council chiefs as councillors reinforce the authority's commitment to stamp out benefit fraud.

It comes as experts predict Housing and Council Tax Benefit cheats may be costing the Leyland-based council more than £900,000 a year.

In a bid to catch the cheats councillors are calling on people to call the confidential fraud hot-line -- 01772 615254 -- if they suspect someone of claiming state benefits they might not be entitled to receive.

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet member with responsibility for corporate and support services, said: "Like all local authorities and public bodies, we need to look after public funds and the interests of the majority of honest taxpayers.

"As a council, we must clearly demonstrate that we will not tolerate fraud and corruption, in whatever form it appears." For the past four years South Ribble Borough Council has had an anti-fraud strategy with the aim of combating benefit cheats.

But now councillors are set to revise the plan in a bid to close the net on benefit cheats and has produced a new document entitled Combating Benefit Fraud which focuses on Housing and Council Tax fraud.

The main strategies include fraud by people renting from housing associations, fraud in the commercial rented sector, council tax benefit fraud by owner-occupiers, housing and council tax benefit fraud linked to income support, job seekers allowance and other state benefits.

The council's anti-fraud strategy also applies to council employees, partners, contractors and councillors to ensure concerns are properly raised and addressed, to deter serious malpractice, to protect the council's reputation and to demonstrate accountability and openness with the council.