AN ELDERLY couple who swindled more than £140,000 in benefits have been ordered to pay back a large lump of cash.

Raymond Wood, 79, and wife Georgina, 76, committed a string of offences, including dishonestly making false statements to obtain benefits, failing to notify changes in their circumstances, retaining wrongful credits and fraud.

They were each sentenced to a year in jail, suspended for two years, and have now been handed a confiscation order.

Following a Proceeds of Crime hearing, they must pay back almost £90,000, including £8,230 in costs.

The couple failed to tell the Department for Work and Pensions they were living together.

Mrs Wood also failed to declare the two homes she owned – one in Little Lullaway, Laindon and one in St Nicholas Grove, Brentwood.

She illegally claimed income support, pension credit, and council tax benefit from three councils- Basildon, Brentwood and South Kesteven, in Lincolnshire- over a 15-year period.

She also failed to disclose more than £16,000 of savings.

Her husband admitted falsely claiming income support, pension credit, and council tax benefit between July 2003 and February 2013.

The couple, who now live in Langford Gardens, Grantham, Lincolnshire, originally denied the 23 offences but changed their pleas to guilty as their trial at Basildon Crown Court was due to start.

Councillor Stuart Sullivan, Basildon Council’s cabinet member for resources, said: "Basildon Council brought this case on behalf of all authorities involved when it realised the offenders had also defrauded other councils and government departments.

“Benefits are paid to those in genuine need of support but on this occasion the offenders had undeclared capital and property, so were unentitled to dip into the public purse.

“This authority is committed to its duty to protect taxpayers’ money. In these times of financial austerity when many local people are feeling the strain, it makes it doubly important we do our utmost to ensure public money only goes to those who deserve it.”

If Mrs Wood fails to pay back the total sum of £75,267.52 to the Department for Work and Pensions, Brentwood Council, South Kesteven Council and Basildon Council by Friuday, November 7, her suspended sentenced could be activated.

Mr Wood has to pay back £3,722.23 by the same date or face 12 months behind bars.