Herefordshire Council has cracked down on five benefits cheats who failed to declare they were living with their partners.
The five appeared at Hereford Magistrates Court on Friday, November 21.
Miss Gail Lorraine Dixon, 31, of The Dales, Lower Bullingham, admitted four charges and being overpaid £21,095 in housing and council tax benefits as well as income support while failing to declare her partner had been living at her home since April 8 2005.
She was given a 12-month community order with supervision.
Mrs Kelly Barnett, 28, of Buckfield Road, Leominster, admitted five charges of benefit fraud and was overpaid £3,045 in housing and council tax benefit and income support while failing to declare her husband was living with her since December 1, 2007.
She was given a conditional discharge for 24 months and ordered to pay £100 towards costs.
Samantha Elizabeth Childs, 23, of Broxash Drive, Hereford admitted four offences of benefit fraud while not declaring she was living with her partner since April 9, 2006 and was overpaid £1,331.94 in benefits.
She was given a conditional discharge for 18 months and ordered to pay £50 towards costs.
Lisa Williams, 38, of Coldstone Cross admitted two charges of benefit fraud in that she failed to notify the authorities that she had been living with her partner since December 25, 2006. She was overpaid £14,465.41 in housing and council tax benefit and income support.
She was given a community order for nine months with supervision and ordered to pay £100 towards costs.
Anne Marie Winter, 35, of Haydock Avenue, Hereford admitted four charges of benefit fraud by not informing the authorities she was living with a partner and also working at J-Mart for 16 hours a week. She was overpaid £8,743.47 in housing and council tax benefits.
She was given a nine-month community order with supervision and ordered to pay £100 costs.
Mike Toney, Herefordshire Council's head of benefit and exchequer services, said after the court cases: "These people were unlawfully taking money from the public purse and I want the public to know we investigate all such fraud matters and will not hesitate to take court action when we find people have been cheating the system.
"Hopefully these sentences will serve as a warning that people must inform the authorities when their circumstances change or else they may face court action," he added.