BENEFIT FRAUD is not socially acceptable and offenders are now much more likely to be caught, Social Development Minister David Hanson has said.

257 people were convicted of benefit theft during 2006. This is a sharp increase on the 199 convictions during 2005, the Social Security Agency revealed.

Already two Strabane women have been prosecuted this month.

The 2006 prosecutions accounted for £1.4 million of public money that was falsely claimed in benefits.

The Minister said, "The sharp rise in prosecutions reflects the growing effectiveness of the Social Security Agency's investigation team.

"Anyone contemplating claiming benefits to which they are not entitled should be aware that we now have enhanced powers both to detect fraud and to reclaim assets that have been accumulated as a result of illegal activity.

"They should also be aware that the courts are taking a more robust approach to benefit fraud.

"This is reflected in the fact that three people received jail sentences, 43 received suspended jail sentences and Community Service orders were imposed in 25 cases.

"The Agency is also making use of new powers available under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and in June 2006, in a groundbreaking case, it obtained its first confiscation order through the Courts.

"The Assets Recovery Agency has assisted the Social Security Agency in recovering approximately £80,000 of money stolen through benefit theft.

"I think this is evidence of how public opinion has changed from an era when doing the double was regarded as almost glamorous.

"The benefits system was set up to protect the most vulnerable in society and this is still its main function.

"Abuse of this safety net for the most needy will not be tolerated. Benefit fraud is nothing short of theft from the poorest in society and from honest taxpayers."