A Kidderminster woman has been given a six month suspended prison sentence and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work after admitting defrauding the benefits system out of nearly £32,000.
Roberta Barnes was claiming income support and housing and council tax benefits, on the basis that she was a single parent and had no source of income, when in fact she had failed to declare her partner was living with her.
Her prison sentence was suspended for two years and she has been forced to comply with a two year supervision order.
The case was jointly investigated by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Wyre Forest District Council, after an anonymous referral was made to the council.
Miss Barnes appeared at Hereford Crown Court on May 17 when she pleaded guilty to two counts of benefit fraud after dishonestly failing to notify the DWP and the district council of a change in her circumstances after her partner had returned to the family home.
As a result, between February 25, 2004 and May 9, 2008 Barnes was paid £16,103.66 in housing benefit and council tax benefit and £15,88426 in income support to which she was not entitled.
The overpayment will also have to be re-paid to the council and DWP.
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