A mum-of-two has been given a suspended prison sentence for a £13,000 benefit fraud.
Lisa Greenland, 35, made false declarations to the Department for Work and Pensions in 2021.
These involved an untrue statements about her tenancy status, saying that the landlord of her home in Milnthorpe, in South Cumbria, was not related — when in fact it was her father — in order to fraudulently claim £525 per month.
She also failed to disclose that she had capital in excess of the £16,000 limit with investigators discovering a £115,000 payment into her account.
The total amount of money falsely claimed was £13,398.
Greenland was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court this morning. She had admitted three offences of dishonestly making a false representation, and one count of failing to disclose information.
The court heard that the money had been paid back to the DWP on her behalf by family members.
Her lawyer, Richard Flook, said in mitigation: “She recognises this was a naive and, most likely, stupid mistake — one that she will regret for the rest of her life.”
Recorder Julian Shaw said the early guilty pleas entered by Greenland, a woman of previous good character, were the most important points of her mitigation.
Of the money repaid by relatives — who were present in court — Recorder Shaw said: “She owes them not just a practical debt but a large emotional debt as well.”
Greenland, of Ruskin Grove, Bolton-le-Sands, near Carnforth, had an eight-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months.
She must also complete 150 hours’ unpaid work.
