Woman claims incapacity benefit while working 40-hour week at Costco

A woman’s nine-year benefit fraud fleeced the public purse of £77,000.

Karen Tomlinson from Wakefield claimed that she needed to use a handrail to get in and out of her flat, but it was uncovered that she had actually been working a 40-hour week at a wholesalers, where she earned a salary of £20,000.

Tomlinson had been claiming incapacity benefit and unemployment support, as well as housing and council tax relief. It was only after her benefits were stopped following a medical assessment in 2012 that an investigation was launched into Tomlinson’s claim.

While repeated appeals were launched by Tomlinson against her benefits decision, ensuring she would still receive the money in lieu of a judgement, the Department of Work and Pensions discovered that Tomlinson had been fraudulently claiming benefits by using two national insurance numbers.

Michael Jowett, prosecuting, said: “She used two national insurance numbers – one for her benefits and one for her employment and then used two addresses – her own and her parents’.”

While one national insurance number indicated that Tomlinson was unfit to work and received no payments other than state benefits, the other revealed she was working for £11.50 an hour at Costco, and had been while she fraudulently claimed incapacity benefits.

Tomlinson initially denied having a job when interviewed by police, and said that she had no explanation as to why wages had consistently been paid into her bank account. Despite the initial denial, Tomlinson plead guilty to four offences of benefit fraud as well as two of failing to notify a change in circumstances.

Tomlinson was jailed for four months and ordered to repay the outstanding amount that she owed. Feel free to contact our benefit fraud solicitors If you require advice or assistance with a benefit fraud case.