Legal News

Snaresbrook Crown Court has heard how a mother-of-five committed benefit fraud amounting to more than £76,000, after continuing to claim benefits after she got married without advising the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of her change in circumstances.

Stacey Bailey, 32, of Heaton Avenue in Harold Hill, Essex had first claimed income support in 2004, the court heard.

Local publisher the Romford Recorder reports that Ms Bailey continued to claim as a single mother and did not tell Havering Council when she got married.

In April 2012, the council discovered she had been claiming income support and other welfare benefits she was not entitled to. In total she claimed £76,817, including housing benefit, childcare benefit and council tax benefit, as well as her income support benefits.

At Snaresbrook Crown Court, Bailey pleaded guilty to four counts of dishonestly making a false representation for self-gain – as well as one count of failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change in circumstances.

However, Judge Stephen Freeland QC decided not to hand down a prison sentence after deciding that this would diminish the welfare of Bailey’s children.

Bailey was handed down a 12-month suspended sentence and was ordered to undertake 200 hours of community service within the next year.

Judge Freeland told the mother-of-five:

“It is true the income support was not from the outset dishonest – but your claiming of housing and council tax benefits was wholly dishonest. In a way, you richly deserve to go immediately into custody.

“But you are the mother of five children and I think you are genuinely remorseful. You are also looking after your nephew and your testimonials are very complimentary of you.
“I am just about able to suspend this sentence but should you be back before this court for any offence, you will be going immediately into custody.”

Bailey was also ordered to pay £300 in prosecution costs – and is repaying the money she wrongly claimed out of her current benefit entitlements. However, a total of £30,000 is owed to Havering Council and all the money she fraudulently claimed from the DWP in income support is outstanding.

There are two ways in which claimants can commit benefit fraud – by intentionally not informing the DWP of a change in circumstance such as moving in with a partner or starting work; or by claiming benefits dishonestly, including using a false identity or two identities to claim benefits, or a false address.

The DWP has recently launched a campaign to catch “benefit thieves” – including asking members of the public who suspect a claimant is committing benefit fraud to report them, as well as more checks on claimants’ bank accounts and using covert surveillance and benefit fraud taskforces.

Duncan Lewis Benefit Fraud Lawyers

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of benefit fraud lawyers and can advise at any stage of a charge relating to fraudulently claiming benefits.

Duncan Lewis has four offices across London and our criminal lawyers regularly visit police stations, courts and prisons. In London, a Duncan Lewis lawyer specialising in benefit fraud can be with you within 45 minutes.

For expert legal advice on charges relating to benefit fraud, contact Duncan Lewis benefit fraud lawyers on 020 7923 4020.