Telford woman claimed pension credit for 11 years while still working

Norma Doody, 71, of Whitemere Road, Wellington, had been working at a nursing home for two years before she started claiming pension credit in 2003.

Mrs Price, prosecuting, at Telford Magistrates Court, said that during the period October 2003 to March 2014 Mrs Doody had been overpaid a total of £27,934 in pension credit.

She said: "Mrs Doody was overpaid because she was working and failed to declare to the Department of Work and Pensions of that fact.

"She would have received letters annually regarding the pension credit and the fact that she needed to inform them if she was working."

Mrs Doody, who chose to represent herself, entered a plea of guilty and said that she was very sorry for taking money she wasn't entitled to.

She admitted that she hadn't read letters sent to her from the Department of Work and Pensions.

She said: "I didn't read things that I should have at the time."

Mrs Doody added that at the time of the offence she was only working 11 hours per week.

After being reminded of how serious the court takes benefit fraud, Mrs Doody was sentenced to a 12 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

She was also ordered to pay £100 court costs and £80 victim surcharge.

The £27,934 pension credit overpayment will be claimed back from Mrs Doody through the benefits system.