5 Durham and Teesside people who falsely claimed DWP Universal Credit
Ricky Adam Moore, 36, of Hall Lane Estate, Willington, dishonestly failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) of a change of circumstances relating to his Universal Credit claim.
According to court reports, Moore’s children were no longer in his custody between March 28 and November 27, 2022, affecting his eligibility for the benefit.
Moore appeared in court in Peterlee Magistrates’ Court in September 2024, where he pleaded guilty to the charge, contrary to section 111A(1A) and (3) of the Social Security Administration Act 1992.
The court learned that the funds had been used for hotel stays, deeming the offence serious enough for an eight-week jail sentence, which was suspended for 18 months.
Moore was also ordered to complete 300 hours of supervised unpaid work over the next year.
His sentence could be activated if he fails to comply.
In addition to the suspended sentence and unpaid work requirement, Moore was ordered to pay a surcharge of £154 to fund victim services and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Elisha Myers received an overpayment of £23,349 in Universal Credit due to her failure to declare she was living in a “common household”, between December 2021 and July 2023.
Durham Crown Court was told the 27-year-old defendant, who has no previous convictions, made the initial claim on December 9, 2021, stating that she was a single parent, having split from her partner on December 4 that year.
When interviewed, Myers made admissions that she was in a relationship, but she told investigators that she made the Universal Credit claim as her partner would not give her any of his wages.
In a prosecution brought by the Crown Prosecution Service Central Fraud Group, Myers, of Rydal Road, Ferryhill, admitted fraudulently failing to disclose information to make a gain for herself.
Taking into account that it was her first offence and that she pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, Judge Adams passed a 24-month community sentence during which Myers must carry out 120 hours’ unpaid work.
Although the judge put in place proceeds of crime proceedings, he said he accepted it was unlikely to find any funding to “claw back” from the defendant.
Diane Jones, 51, of Chartwell Close, Marske, appeared at Cleveland Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, where she pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to declare having capital over the prescribed limits.
The offence occurred between July 5, 2022, and May 4, 2023.
The court heard that Jones failed to notify the DWP of her financial situation, which would have impacted her entitlement to Universal Credit payments.
Magistrates imposed a community order requiring Jones to participate in up to 15 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by a responsible officer.
She was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £114 as a victim services surcharge and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Mark Graeme Lockwood, 43, from Colenso Street, Hartlepool was handed a 24-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Monday, July 8, 2024, to three counts of failing to notify changes that affected his entitlement to social security benefits.
Over several years Lockwood withheld information from the Department for Work and Pensions concerning his children no longer being in his care, impacting benefits he received including Universal Credit, Employment Disability Living Allowance, and Carers Allowance.
The Universal Credit charge concerned a period between September 3, 2020 and May 2, 2023, while the second Employment Disability Living Allowance charge concerned a period between September 3, 2020, and June 16, 2021.
Meanwhile, a third charge, regarding Carers Allowance, concerned the period between September 28, 2020, and April 24, 2022.
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The defendant was ordered to £154 surcharge to fund victim services and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Jessica Laura Blake, 31, of Bamboo Way, Middlesbrough falsely declared she was in full receipt of student income to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and claimed Universal Credit between September 5, 2021, and January 4, 2023.
Blake pleaded guilty to the charges at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on January 12, 2024, and appeared again on February 8, 2024, for sentencing.
She was fined £200 and ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service, totalling £365.
The fine was issued as a collection order.