A ‘DISHONEST and manipulative’ benefits cheat received an overpayment of over £11,000 after she lied about her savings and failed to notify the DWP about a change in her circumstances, a court heard.

Wendy Jolly deceived the Department for Work and Pensions between December 2019 to April 2023, prosecutor Lee Dacre told South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard Jolly received an overpayment of £11,186.88 from Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Housing Benefit.

Mr Dacre said: “The defendant had savings in her bank account over the limit allowed for her benefits.

“One of her bank accounts on December 13 2019 showed savings of £19,639.92, which is over the legal threshold of £16,000.

“She was later interviewed by the DWP about her benefits. She told the interviewer her husband had recently died and that she had £400 in her bank account.”

The court heard Jolly received a total payment of £81,142.19 following the ‘tragic’ death of her husband.

Mr Dacre said the defendant transferred around £40,000 to her partner’s son living in Australia but gave false information about this in an interview.

“She received a letter of administration from the High Court that her husband had died without making a will,” Mr Dacre added.

“She was successful in proving her legal right to manage his estate and his entire money was paid into her bank account.”

The court was told there was also an improvement in her disclosed medical conditions during this time period.

Mr Dacre added: “She said she needed assistance with cooking and that she needed others to do her shopping. She also told the DWP she struggled getting dressed and that she could only walk up to 20 to 30 metres.”

The court heard her PIP was stopped but she successfully appealed.

The defendant then got a ‘physical job’ working as a cleaner part-time between March 31 2022 and April 4 2023 which she should have declared in an interview, the court heard.

Mr Dacre said the defendant had a previous conviction for fraud in relation to claiming tax credits in October 2007.

In mitigation, defence solicitor Karen Templeton said: “She has not set out to defraud anyone. Her husband died in tragic circumstances in November 2019 and she was traumatised.

“Soon after it was the Covid-19 lockdown. She was going through an extremely difficult period after what had happened and was not getting any help.

“Her husband had said he wanted her to use the money for his children. Legally, it was her money, but she should have told the DWP about it.

“She was desperate to find a job and forced herself into a position as a cleaner when she was not up to doing it. She accepts she should have told the DWP about this too.

“She is someone who has significant physical and mental health problems. She has a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and will not be before the court again.”

The 57-year-old, of Oak Head Road on Walney, pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances affecting entitlement to benefit payment, and another count of dishonestly making a false statement to obtain benefit at the first opportunity.

On October 9, magistrates sentenced Jolly to a 12-week prison term suspended for 12 months with requirements to complete an eight-week curfew between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

Chair of the bench Charles Crewdson told Jolly: “We understand it was a terrible family tragedy at the beginning of this particular period but that did not stop your offending which lasted for a prolonged period.

“When the opportunity came to have your benefits taken away from you, you doubled down. This was dishonest and manipulative.”

Jolly was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a £154 surcharge.