A 66-year-old woman named Maxine Davis, residing in Newtownabbey, was handed a hefty fine of £30,000 by Laganside Crown Court for deceitfully claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance over a six-year period. The court found her guilty of fraudulently obtaining benefits totaling more than £29,000 between July 2017 and January 2023 following an investigation by the Department for Communities.
Davis has fully repaid the fine imposed on her, as confirmed by the Department. A spokesperson from the Department for Communities emphasized the importance of reporting suspected benefit fraud anonymously.
In a separate case, Susan Pearson, a 58-year-old from Platt Bridge in Wigan, managed to avoid imprisonment despite unlawfully receiving over £40,000 in Universal Credit while concealing substantial savings. Investigations revealed that Pearson, who claimed financial hardship, actually held more than £40,000 across two bank accounts and received a £500 reduction in her council tax.
During the period of fraudulent benefit claims, Pearson openly shared online posts detailing her lavish holiday travels to various destinations, including Tunisia, Cyprus, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife, and a Mediterranean cruise. Her social media updates, boasting about frequent trips, raised suspicions leading to an investigation exposing significant undisclosed savings and withdrawals amounting to £13,000 in a single month.
Despite claiming to have spent some of the money on home repairs when confronted, Pearson’s vacation photos contradicted her claims. She eventually pleaded guilty to two charges of dishonestly withholding information at Bolton Crown Court and was instructed by the judge to utilize her savings to repay the misappropriated benefits.
Although facing a potential two-year jail sentence, Pearson was emotional upon learning she would not be incarcerated. The maximum allowable capital limit for Universal Credit claimants stands at £16,000. The court disclosed that Pearson received an overpayment of £40,334.21 in Universal Credit and benefited by £536.22 in council tax reductions. Presently, she is legitimately receiving £55 weekly in carer’s allowance to assist in caring for her 83-year-old mother.