It is an offence for a person, with intent to induce a local housing authority to believe in connection with the exercise of their functions under this Part that he or another person is entitled to accommodation or assistance in accordance with the provisions of this Part, or is entitled to accommodation or assistance of a particular description—
knowingly or recklessly to make a statement which is false in a material particular, or
knowingly to withhold information which the authority have reasonably required him to give in connection with the exercise of those functions.
A person who fails to comply with subsection (2) commits an offence unless he shows that he was not given the explanation required by that subsection or that he had some other reasonable excuse for non-compliance.
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.