In order to fraudulently claim almost £22,000 in Universal Credit, a benefit scammer lied about having two children and needing to pay rent. When the standards to produce proof were loosened during the Covid-19 outbreak, Aqeeb Karim started the hoax.

Although his family is probably going to find out soon, the 25-year-old from Sparkhill's Geoffrey Road kept up the false claim for two years because he was too embarrassed to notify them. Aqeeb acknowledged committing a single act of dishonestly fabricating information in order to receive an advantage.

On Thursday, June 20, before Birmingham Crown Court, he was spared imprisonment despite being informed that he had contributed to public animosity toward alleged "scroungers." This was mostly because he now has a job and has begun repaying the money. Rather, he received a 12-month sentence that was suspended for two years and included 200 hours of unpaid labor in addition to 25 days of rehabilitation.

Aqeeb illegally claimed £22,958.13 from the Department for Work and Pensions between May 13, 2020 and April 12, 2022. Prosecutor Emma Richards said: "The defendant was in receipt of Universal Credit for him and two dependent children. He said he was not working and liable to pay rent to a private landlord. He had no health conditions, no savings or other income."

She stated that the process for benefit claims was 'relaxed' during the Covid pandemic to enable people to be paid quicker without fact-to-face meetings and without the same requirements to produce evidence. The court heard Midland Housing denied Aqeeb's account that he was renting a property from them while it was established he was not in receipt of child benefit.

He went on to confess that he had 'fabricated' his housing and child-related costs. Ms Richards added: "He admitted the two children were not his and the address was owned by his parents and he didn't pay rent."

Joshua Radcliffe, defending, stated Aqeeb was 'remorseful and regretful' for what he had done. He explained he had already started paying back £200 a month but intended to increase that sum to nearly £1,000 in the near future having started his own recruitment business.

The barrister added that Aqeeb was aged 21 at the time he started the fraudulent claim and had 'cultural obligations' to support his family financially.

Recorder Lower, passing sentence, said: "You will understand that there are people who take the view people who claim benefits are scroungers who can't be bothered to work, can't be bothered to get out of bed and think someone else should fund their life. When people defraud the system that just adds to that feeling everyone on benefits is treating them as a racket rather than as help when help is needed.

"That's why many people resent the fact they pay tax and some of the money goes to benefits, you have contributed to that bad feeling."

The judge described Aqeeb's actions as 'stupid multiplied' due to how long he carried on the racket. He continued: "You have chosen not to tell your family you are in the predicament you are in because you are ashamed about the facts of your conviction and if known to your family they would be in absolute disgrace."

Recorder Lower confirmed he would suspend the sentence because Aqeeb was working, adding: "If I were to send you to custody that realistically would be the end of your job and the end of your job of course means the end of your payments to the DWP.

"Taxpayers would not only have to pay for your accommodation in prison but taxpayers would still lose out because you wouldn't be paying back the money you effectively stole."