A benefits cheat who lied for more than six years has been spared jail, despite pocketing nearly £40,000 from the public purse. Overseas fraud by benefits claimants living in popular holiday destinations drained £226milion from the public purse in the 12 months leading up to March. Universal Credit fraud accounted for £103million of the total lost income. While Pensions Credit fraud by claimants living abroad was responsible for a further £67million in losses. Analysis in June also revealed the number of benefits fraudsters facing criminal proceedings had fallen by more than 90 per cent since 2017.