West Oxfordshire District Council saved nearly £142,430 last year by detecting benefit fraud and taking offenders to court.

The council's cabinet member for finance, Mary Neale, said: "This council is determined to seek out all fraudulent claims and will prosecute the offenders.

"Benefits are available to people in genuine need and our staff want to ensure that those in need receive all their benefit entitlements."

The council said that every year criminals stole at least £50 from every taxpayer in the country.

That amounted to in the region of £1.4bn of taxpayers' money being fraudulently claimed in benefits.

Anyone who knows or suspects someone is committing benefits fraud is urged to contact the council's Benefits Fraud Team on 01993 770122.