Gretton woman fraudulently claimed £35,000 in benefits

Angela Thorndick, 52, of Hatton Lane, received benefits as a single person despite evidence showing she had been living with her partner since February 2011.

She also failed to declare that they got married in June 2014.

Because of the false claim, she was overpaid a widowed parents allowance of £19,153.30 and tax credits of £16,009.96 over a period of three years and four months.

These benefits were paid on the basis that she had declared her true circumstances at the time of making her claim and would notify the Department for Work and Pensions and Her Majesty’s Revenues & Customs of any changes in her circumstances.

The changes she failed to declare would have affected the amount of benefit in payment or her entitlement to benefit.

Thorndick pleaded guilty to the offences facing her at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

She was fined £500 and given a 12-month community order.

She has repaid the benefits overpaid in full.