September 11, 2008

The lumbering state

benefit fraudRead how an Iraqi asylum seeker fraudulently received £10,391 in benefits while working.

Nawzad Taher Sedeq gained help by saying he was destitute and without savings or income, but was rumbled when found not to be living at the housing provided. Why not? Where was he? Were others doing the same?

He applied for asylum in the UK in 1999 but exhausted the appeals process - three years later. He now lacked the legal right to remain, but the Home Office granted him a work permit in 2004, and we know he took a job from December, 2006, netting almost £280 gross for a 42-hour week, as well as a shift allowance.

He then applied for asylum - again - in May 2007 and made the false benefits claim.

Approved within a week, the resulting support package entitled him to housing and - a short while later - food; but after almost three months it was withdrawn when he was found not to be living at the home provided.

He had previously served 28 days in prison after making a false statement and asked for 26 other offences to be taken into account.

He was referred to Crown Court for sentence. Doubtless he will continue to run rings round the lumbering state.

3 comments:

Mark Wadsworth said...

Rule 1 of any sensible benefits system, foreigners don't get any. Hard-hearted for sure, but anything else is madness.

John Page said...

I agree - citizens only. Presumably it would have to include EU citizens.

Mark Wadsworth said...

Under EU rules, probably yes. All the more reason for getting out.