Benefits fraud carer spared jail after falsely claiming £15k
A woman who claimed nearly £15,000 in disability benefits while working as a carer for disabled people has avoided a jail sentence.
Pamela Green claimed she could barely walk and needed help to get in and out of the bath and to complete her daily chores.
But over a four-year period the 47-year-old pocketed a total of £14,749 after failing to inform the DWP her health had improved, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The benefits claim made by Green, of Field Road, Dudley, had initially been genuine after informing the department about her major mobility problems.
But she failed to notify them when her condition improved and was rumbled when information was sent to the department reporting that she was working in the care industry giving assistance to other people with disability troubles.
Mr Charles Hamer, prosecuting, said the company that employed her thought she was a 'good, hard working' member of the team and that her work was 'obviously of a physical nature'.
Her bosses were completely unaware that she had any difficulties dealing with the work, he added.
Green admitted failing to notify the DWP of a change in her circumstances and she was placed on supervision for two years
She was further told by Judge Amjad Nawaz she must complete 200 hours unpaid work community and ordered to pay £250 in court costs
Green, who was not represented in court by a barrister, said she had pressing financial problems at the time.
She said: "I know I should have told them things had changed."
The Judge said Green had abused the benefits system with her dishonesty and she should have revealed she had started work.
