Fraudster mother posed as disabled daughter to claim £5k benefits

Tania Roberts has been alienated from the 27-year-old, from Cannock, for the last four years and in 2014 began claiming benefits using her name.

A court heard she targeted her daughter because she has learning difficulties – with Disability Living Allowance among the fraudulent claims.

The 'complicated and sophisticated' fraud also included payments of income support, employment support allowance and carer's allowance.

Roberts, aged 52, was spared jail because of her previous good character and was given a 25-week sentence, suspended for 18 months.

She was sentenced at Cannock Magistrates Court on Monday having admitted five counts of fraud by false representation.

Mrs Emma Thompson, prosecuting, said the fraud covered a period from February 2014 and March 2015.

Roberts made all the claims in her daughter's name and even diverted Disability Living Allowance from her daughter's account into her own.

Mrs Thompson said: "This was a complicated fraud. Not only that but it was also sophisticated.

"It involved the use of her daughter's details and she had gone to the trouble of getting details such as her National Insurance number.

"She also moved her daughter's medical records to a different doctor's surgery.

"Not only that but her daughter has learning difficulties and it appears that is why she targeted her daughter's details."

The Department for Work and Pensions investigated Robert's daughter after employment support allowance claims were made in her name, despite her having a job.

Investigators were able to trace the claims back to her mother.

The fraud totalled £4,876.47 and at least £1,828 of that should have been paid legitimately to her daughter.

Mr John Skinner, defending, said his client came up with the deception to pay off debts.

He added: "Some years ago she found herself going through a lot of stress at work and financially. Unfortunately the result was she couldn't continue to work."

"She found herself in a position where she was getting ever more into debt and the bailiffs had come round.

"She came up with this as a means of sorting things out. I don't think there was any malice towards her daughter, it was merely a way of solving the financial difficulties she had."

Mr Skinner said Roberts had repaid the majority of the false payments.

Magistrates also ordered Roberts, of Tinkers Green Road, Tamworth, to fulfil a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and pay costs of £185.