A woman now living at Shap has appeared before North and West Cumbria Magistrates Court today (MON) and pleaded guilty to two benefit fraud offences amounting to over £45k.
Natalie Johnson, 33, gave her address as The Lynchetts, Shap, Penrith, the offences took place in Derby, the court was informed that she dishonestly failed to notify Erewash Borough Council of a change in her circumstances, that between June 6, 2014 and March 23, 2016 at Derby she failed to notify the council she was maintaining a ‘common household’ with her partner, while receiving Housing Benefits payment.
The second offence is she was knowingly concerned in fraudulent payment of tax credits between June 6, 2014 and March 1, 2017, in that she failed to notify Her Majesty’s Revenue and customs, she was maintaining a common household with her partner at an address in Derby.
Magistrates were told these offences were fraudulent for the outset of these claims, the amounts involved over £45k were outside their sentencing guidelines and she was committed to be sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on January 13, 2020, she was granted unconditional bail until then, a pre-sentence probation report will be available for the Crown Court hearing.
