Benefit cheat pocketed £13k for a child she didn't look after

A benefit cheat fiddled more than £13,800 in wrongful tax credits by keeping quiet that a child was in care. (h/t Dave)

She could not manage her money properly at the time and claimed the care was only temporary, a court heard.

Clare Bilton, 41, from Scunthorpe, admitted failing to disclose information to the tax authorities between April 2013 and April last year.

Martin Howarth, prosecuting, told Grimsby magistrates that mother-of-four Bilton failed to disclose that one of the children had been taken into the care of social services in October 2010.

She wrongly obtained £13,819 in tax credits for that child.

"She was fully aware that she should have reported a change in her circumstances," said Mr Howarth.

Excuses she gave included that she had forgotten, thought that the care was supposed to be temporary and financial reasons.

"She had never written to or telephoned the department to report the change in circumstances," said Mr Howarth.

Sunny Dhinsa, mitigating, said that Bilton made admissions during interview and had no previous convictions. "She is extremely remorseful," he added.

Bilton was given eight days' rehabilitation and was ordered to pay £100 costs and a Government-imposed £85 victims' surcharge.

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