Childcare worker set for hearing over scam

A COUNCIL worker is to face a misconduct hearing after being convicted of fraudulently claiming £11,000 of benefits.

Fiona Smith is set to go before the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) in Dundee later this month.

She is due to answer charges that she illegally claimed benefits and also failed to divulge to employers that she was under investigation and subsequently convicted for doing so.

Smith was employed by Angus Council as an early years practitioner at the time of the offence.

The hearing will be told that between April 2011 and November 2014 at Invertay House in Monifieth, a local benefits office, Smith knowingly made a false statement or representation to officials at Angus Council claiming to be single and living alone with dependent children.

The charge alleges that in fact she was living with a partner, only identified as AA, who was financially supporting her.

It is alleged she lied on benefit application forms and council tax liability forms.

This was said to be contrary to social security legislation regarding dishonest representation for obtaining benefits.

Smith is also alleged to have failed to inform the council, her employer, of a change in circumstances — in particular that she was subject to a criminal investigation between December 2014 and September 2015.

The investigation concerned her making false representations that resulted in the payments being made.

She is also said to have been dishonest in the fact that she failed to notify them that she had been convicted as a result of the investigation.

The conviction was in September 2015 at Forfar Sheriff Court for obtaining £11,000 of housing benefit and council tax benefit that she was not entitled to.

At a public hearing in Dundee’s Compass House, the SSSC conduct subcommittee will consider whether the charge is proven and deliberate whether misconduct has taken place.

They will also decide whether Smith breached the SSSC code of practice for social service workers.

Angus Council was approached for comment regarding the case against Smith but had not responded at the time of going to press.