More than £2 million has been recovered by Ealing Council following a cracking down on residents pretending to live alone in order to cut their council tax bills.

If only one adult lives in a property as their main home, they are entitled to a discount of 25% of the council tax bill.

Council software checked the details of residents claiming the discount against more than nine million records dating back 10 years held by other services such as parking, libraries and housing, as well as external records such as credit card applications to ensure they are the only adult at home.

One woman who had been claiming the discount since 1996 now faces paying £5,597.80 to the council after a check of records.

Council checks revealed that a woman was living with her adult children, husband and an au pair at one stage, while she was claiming the discount. The woman who was not eligible to the discount from 1998 until 2011 faces paying £5,597.80 to the council.

The woman’s husband wrote to the council’s parking service from the address to dispute a parking offence and stated that there were three other cars in the household.

The council’s revenues team was recognised for its innovative approach at the national Fighting Fraud awards on Thursday 6 December 2012.

Councillor Yvonne Johnson, cabinet member for Finance and Performance said: "It’s astonishing that people who are quite happy to benefit from council services are unwilling to pay their fair share for them. I am proud that the team’s determination to crack down on this fraud and recover money so that it can be ploughed back into services has been recognised."

Residents claiming sole occupancy discount should notify the council if their circumstances change.