Woman fiddled £2,877 benefits

A MOTHER-OF-FOUR who fiddled state benefits has escaped a community order after a court heard of her “chaotic” home life.

Shifa Begum (32), of Bessemer Way, Oldham, fraudulently claimed £2,877.16 income support after getting a job.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Begum pleaded guilty to three charges of failure to notify the Department of Work and Pensions of her change in circumstances.

Miss Carmel Wilde, prosecuting, said Begum had been receiving income support as an unemployed, lone parent of four children who struggled to cope financially as her husband was unreliable with payments.

It was only when she applied for work as a lunchtime assistant at a school through Oldham Council that evidence of her faulty claims came to light.

When she was interviewed Begum said that she was unaware she had to advise the job centre as she thought the job would just be temporary.

She said she did not know she needed to notify anyone as the job would be under 16 hours a week.

Begum also failed to inform the authority when her husband moved back in to the family home.

Mr Adam Roxborough, defending, said: “Begum leads a chaotic homelife, her husband is always coming and going, he provides some support but it is not ideal.

“She is thoroughly ashamed of the situation she is in now.”

Begum, who has begun to pay back £40 per month, spoke only through an interpreter during the court appearance.

Due to Begum’s lack of English and homelife, Judge Andrew Lowcock said that he could not sentence her to a community order as it would be impossible for her to undertake such a task.

He conditionally discharged her for 12 months but warned: “You must realise what you did was wrong.”