By . Paul Revoir and Louise Eccles . Last updated at 11:56 PM on 2nd November 2011 . Sailing across the Atlantic would be a gruelling task for the fittest of men. But Graham Axford managed the feat in his private yacht – despite claiming he was unfit to work because of a bad back. The 57-year-old tackled some of the world’s most dangerous waters while claiming thousands of pounds in incapacity benefit over a 15-year period. Picture of health: Keen sailor Graham Axford sailing near the Azores... despite claiming benefits for a bad back . He was caught out when it emerged he had made a month-long voyage from America to the Azores. The benefits claimant also lived in a council house in Croydon, South London, despite part-owning a farmhouse in Normandy. Mr Axford was apparently exposed living a double-life by a BBC Panorama investigation, which airs tonight. The keen sailor started receiving incapacity benefit in 1996, after injuring his back in a motorcycle accident. But Mr Axford continued to sail extensively and, in 2003, he set off from South Carolina in his yacht on a four-week Atlantic crossing. Accompanied by one crew member, he . sailed via the West Indies, before tackling the huge swells of the . Atlantic. It is then thought that he sailed from the Azores to France. According . to the programme, Mr Axford was given a council flat in 1997 after . failing to tell the local authority that he half-owned a house in . Normandy. Intrepid: Mr Axford was apparently exposed living a double-life by a BBC Panorama investigation . He then held on to the council property while also living in the U.S. and France. In the programme, Mr Axford admits to a Panorama investigator that he has been mostly based in the U.S. for the past seven years. During this time, he continued to receive incapacity benefit, housing benefit, and council tax benefit. Croydon Council is now investigating his benefits claims. Fraud investigator Andrea Corderey said: ‘He’s got a property in France and also we discovered that he owns a yacht. ‘He’s in receipt of incapacity benefit based on a bad back. We are not quite convinced that what he’s told us about his disability is true.’ It comes as figures estimate that fraudulent benefit, housing and tax credit claims cost taxpayers £4billion a year – far more than previously thought. The latest research by The Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at Portsmouth University suggests that fraud has increased by a third since the economic downturn began three years ago. Mr Axford’s solicitor said he had never fraudulently misrepresented the nature or extent of his back injury. He added that his eligibility for incapacity benefit had been assessed by medical professionals and that having an ongoing back condition was not incompatible with travelling in a boat with assistance.
Caught out after a month-long voyage from America to the Azores .
The 57-year-old claimed incapacity benefit for 15 years .
By . Paul Revoir and Louise Eccles . Last updated at 11:56 PM on 2nd November 2011 . Sailing across the Atlantic would be a gruelling task for the fittest of men. But Graham Axford managed the feat in his private yacht – despite claiming he was unfit to work because of a bad back. The 57-year-old tackled some of the world’s most dangerous waters while claiming thousands of pounds in incapacity benefit over a 15-year period. Picture of health: Keen sailor Graham Axford sailing near the Azores... despite claiming benefits for a bad back . He was caught out when it emerged he had made a month-long voyage from America to the Azores. The benefits claimant also lived in a council house in Croydon, South London, despite part-owning a farmhouse in Normandy. Mr Axford was apparently exposed living a double-life by a BBC Panorama investigation, which airs tonight. The keen sailor started receiving incapacity benefit in 1996, after injuring his back in a motorcycle accident. But Mr Axford continued to sail extensively and, in 2003, he set off from South Carolina in his yacht on a four-week Atlantic crossing. Accompanied by one crew member, he . sailed via the West Indies, before tackling the huge swells of the . Atlantic. It is then thought that he sailed from the Azores to France. According . to the programme, Mr Axford was given a council flat in 1997 after . failing to tell the local authority that he half-owned a house in . Normandy. Intrepid: Mr Axford was apparently exposed living a double-life by a BBC Panorama investigation . He then held on to the council property while also living in the U.S. and France. In the programme, Mr Axford admits to a Panorama investigator that he has been mostly based in the U.S. for the past seven years. During this time, he continued to receive incapacity benefit, housing benefit, and council tax benefit. Croydon Council is now investigating his benefits claims. Fraud investigator Andrea Corderey said: ‘He’s got a property in France and also we discovered that he owns a yacht. ‘He’s in receipt of incapacity benefit based on a bad back. We are not quite convinced that what he’s told us about his disability is true.’ It comes as figures estimate that fraudulent benefit, housing and tax credit claims cost taxpayers £4billion a year – far more than previously thought. The latest research by The Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at Portsmouth University suggests that fraud has increased by a third since the economic downturn began three years ago. Mr Axford’s solicitor said he had never fraudulently misrepresented the nature or extent of his back injury. He added that his eligibility for incapacity benefit had been assessed by medical professionals and that having an ongoing back condition was not incompatible with travelling in a boat with assistance.
pounds in incapacity benefit over a 15-year voyage from America to the Azores. The benefits