HMRC worker avoids jail despite tax credit fraud

A woman who claimed to the taxman she was a single mum stole more than £40,000 from him while in his full-time employment.

Kay Maxwell, 37,was a contact centre adviser for HMRC when she received £43,631 in tax credits, having made out that she lived alone with her two children.

But she was arrested after an investigation into the issuing of the credits between 2011 and 2016 found her to have been living with her partner the entire time.

Although Maxwell was also found to have had two other children (whom she did not claim credits for), she was fired by HMRC in 2017, having worked there for 13 years.

But speaking to ITV, the Revenue was unapologetic: “Maxwell knew what she was doing was wrong and thought she could get away with stealing tax credits she was not entitled to.”

It added: “Her deceit was exposed and now she is paying the price. We expect the highest professional standards and integrity from our staff; no one is exempt”.

Admitting to tax credits fraud last month, Maxwell was sentenced to 12 months in prison; suspended for 18 months, with 20 days' rehabilitation activity and 125 hours unpaid work. Proceedings are also reportedly underway to recover the stolen money.