The city council is focusing on housing benefit fraudsters

In January, the city council set up a hotline to report fraudsters with the spotlight on people falsely claiming council tax discounts.

The public response led to more than �100,000 being saved on single person discounts alone, the authority said.

This month, the council is cracking down on people renting homes who are fraudulently in receipt of benefits.

There are a lot of people in genuine need in the city Councillor Simon Burgess

City council leader Simon Burgess said: "Whether it involves just a few pounds or thousands, benefit fraud is a criminal offence."

He said most fraud cases involved failing to declare extra income or a change in circumstances.

And he said: "There are a lot of people in genuine need in the city and benefits money should be going to them, not to people making fraudulent claims."