Investigators have uncovered mammoth housing and council tax benefit frauds totalling £1 million in the district over the last year alone.

The figure is a 15 per cent hike on the previous year and the missing tax-payers' money is now being recovered by the Bradford Council benefits team which tracked it down.

Members of the public made about 3,500 tip-offs to the authority in 2005, providing essential information which lead to more than 2,000 investigations.

As a result the number of people prosecuted rose by 40 per cent in that year, there were 32 criminal convictions and numerous cautions and fines

Among the type of fraud uncovered was that of people starting work or getting a second job while claiming benefits they are no longer entitled to.

One woman was given a nine-month sentence, suspended for two years, after claiming £28,000 while she was working. And a man, who claimed £31,500, was given a three-year community rehabilitation order and told to pay £3,500 in costs for failing to disclose he had £16,000 in capital.

David Fraser, the Council's head of benefits, said all outstanding claims are recovered either through direct action or stoppages on benefit payments.

He said: "Benefit fraud is not a victimless crime. We urge anyone, who suspects someone is committing benefit fraud, to ring our hotline.

"Information will be treated in the strictest confidence and callers need not give their name or any personal details."

News of the success came as the Government's work and pensions secretary John Hutton was expected to announce massive welfare reforms in Parliament aimed at reducing the number of claimants.

Deputy leader of the Council, Councillor Kris Hopkins (Con, Worth Valley), said: "It is estimated that benefit fraud costs taxpayers around £750 million a year. Bradford Council takes this issue very seriously and benefit fraud will not be tolerated in the district. It is theft and we are determined to catch the cheats."

Bradford Council's fraud team has grown from four staff to 50 in just eight years. They follow up leads from a variety of sources, and carry out investigations on recipients, employers and landlords.

Members of the public can report their suspicions by calling the Benefit Fraud Hotline on 01274 43 75 11. Reports can also be made via the Council's website: www.bradford.gov.uk/reportbenefit fraud.