Fitbit tripped up benefit fraud

A benefits cheat who dishonestly claimed around £7,000 in disability and housing payments was caught out after clocking up 10,000 steps on a a Fitbit. (h/t Dave)

Helen May admitted she dishonestly failed to tell authorities she had a job while claiming thousands of pounds in housing benefit in 2016.

Appearing in the dock at South Cumbria Magistrates Court, the 39-year-old also admitted failing to disclose an improvement in her physical capacities, between 2014 and 2017, which would have directly affected her disability allowance.

The court was told May, from Ulverston, failed to notify South Lakeland District Council she had got a job while she was claiming housing benefit as well as failing to tell the Department for Work and Pensions her physical condition had improved.

The court heard May was unable to work because of depression and a heart problem she had suffered from since the age of 10, which gave her palpitations and meant she tired easily and had a pacemaker.
 
Magistrates heard while she had been claiming benefits she had worked three jobs: at the Lakes Aquarium at Lakeside, the Yewdale Inn at Coniston and at Weightwatchers. Defending her, Tristan Roberts said the cafe work she did was only serving and tea coffee, was not physically exerting and was only carried out by her for a few hours a day.

Peter Barnsley, prosecuting, told the court that a witness had seen May log 10,000 steps on her Fitbit fitness tracker during a day at work.

Magistrates were told May had already paid back some of the benefits she had illegally claimed. Mr Roberts said: “She is a lady who has not troubled authorities before and is not likely to trouble them again.”

In sentencing, magistrates ruled out unpaid work after being told May would have been too ill to do it.

They imposed a community order with the requirement that May will wear an electronic tag under a 10-week curfew stopping from leaving her home between 7pm and 7am. She was also ordered to pay £400 in court costs.

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