A GUILTY conscience may have prompted a number of benefit claimants from cancelling their applications.

Kennet District Council said that following the article in the Gazette about Charlotte Taylor who was prosecuted for housing benefit fraud, a number of people had withdrawn their claims for housing benefit.

Andrew Hart, finance services manager at Kennet, said: "We don't know if the article in the Gazette had a part to play but we noticed a large number of people ringing up and withdrawing their claims after it had been published.

"A lot of them are probably legitimate, usually when people cancel their claims it's because they have gone back to work or they don't need to claim anymore."

Mr Hart said Kennet, which takes a proactive stance against benefit fraud, would still look into the claims that have been withdrawn.

He said: "We do investigate those people who withdraw claims. We look at the circumstances as to why they cancel their claims."

In addition to Mrs Taylor's prosecution another 21 people have either been fined or received an official local authority caution for falsely claiming housing benefit that they are not entitled to.

The total amount of benefit claimed for by those 21 people was over £45,000 which is being paid back to Kennet.

Kennet's fraud investigation team currently has 78 benefit fraud investigations open, some of which are joint investigations with investigators based in the Department of Work and Pensions.

Mr Hart said this number of investigations was an average figure for Kennet.

He said Kennet was in the top quarter of local councils in the country for prosecuting benefit cheats and recouping back money falsely claimed.

Mr Hart said: "We know benefit fraud is going on. It costs the Government billions. When we receive a tip-off that someone is claiming benefit when they shouldn't be or when our assessors notice something suspicious we apply a risk analysis to determine our investigation."

Mark Boden, Kennet's chief executive, said: "The council has invested heavily in the prevention and detection of benefit fraud and has a dedicated team to investigate fraudulent claims.

"It also has a confidential telephone line on which members of the public can leave information about persons they suspect are making false claims for benefit. The number is (01380) 734729.

"Kennet District Council is committed to paying benefit to all those people who are entitled to receive it but is equally determined to seek out and prosecute those who abuse the system. I would therefore encourage people who think that they may be entitled to apply by calling (01380) 724911 and ask for benefits for further information and advice."

Mrs Taylor, 29, of Haywards Place, Easterton, was sentenced to an 18 month conditional discharge by Devizes Magistrates Court on April 7 after she pleaded guilty to failing to give prompt notification of change of circumstances between July 14 2003 and March 31 2004.

Kennet said she claimed £3,000 worth of housing benefit by falsely declaring she was a single parent but was living with her husband, Shawn, who was working.

Mrs Taylor, a consultant with Slimming World, is seeking legal advice. She wants the case re-opened as she claims she has evidence that she was genuinely claiming housing benefit.