Benefit cheats 'stole' more than £700,000 from Gravesham taxpayers and the council over the past year.

Residents falsely claimed £535,156 in housing benefits - with ten council homes rented by people who no longer lived there or were sub-letting - and council tax fraud totalled £173,390.

Following 636 investigations by Gravesham Borough Council, there were 13 successful convictions for benefit fraud, and seven people were fined for offences.

Some 38 home dwellers who wrongly claimed single person's council tax discounts were charged £70 fixed penalties.

Council leader Coun John Cubitt said: “Fraud committed against the council is theft and the victims are the council taxpayers.

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"It takes vital funds away from the council that could be used for other services and the misuse of council housing also contributes to the strain on social housing.

"As the figures prove, the council takes fraud very seriously.

"If you are tempted to commit fraud of any kind against the council, be aware that you will not get away with it.”

Click here for information on how to report fraud concerns.