A SHAMELESS benefit cheat stole Universal Credit while splashing on a new home with a secret inheritance pot worth £400,000.
Mum-of-three Amber Marshall recieved the giant sum after the “unexpected” death of her estranged dad three years ago.
2
The 47-year-old was receiving both universal credit and housing benefits when she was told about her dad in 2021.
But when the sale of her deceased dad’s house went through she was given a £400,000 windfall and opted against notifying Medway Council and the Department of Work and Pensions.
By the time Marshall’s secret was out she had claimed over £10,000 in benefits while splashing hundreds of thousands of pounds on a new house as well as spoiling friends and family.
Maidstone Crown Court heard that Gillingham-based Marshall had just £5,000 left of her inheritance in January 2023.
Read more Money News
The fraudster pled guilty to two offences of failing to notify a change in circumstances between September 2021 and May 2022, reports KentOnline.
Marshall’s barrister, Amelia Norman, said: “She was entitled to claim benefits, received the money unexpectedly as part of an inheritance and basically buried her head in the sand in terms of informing the authorities.”
It was said in court that Marshall is still receiving benefits of £590 per month but after paying for essentials is left with about £60.
As it stands she has repaid the amount of universal credit she received but the outstanding housing benefit will be paid as part of a payment plan.
Most read in Money
Although she was spared jail, Marshall was slapped with a 18-month community order with 30 rehabilitation activity requirements as well as 120 hours of unpaid work.
Judge Gareth Branston told Marshall: “I do not underestimate the impact of a loss of a parent even when you have lost contact for many years.
From £450 tax cut to child benefit changes, what the Budget means for YOUR finances
“But it must have been obvious that the authorities needed to know about the inheritance and you have admitted by your pleas that you were dishonest.”
REVEALED: BRITAIN’S BENEFITS FRAUDSTERS
Benefits fraud is a costly crime that takes valuable money out of the hands of those who really need it, and multiple criminals doing it have popped up in the UK over the years.
Benefits cheat Ethel McGill pocketed £750,000. the callous pensioner claimed her dad was still alive so she could steal his war pension after his death in 2004.
Her 20-year scheme finally came to an end when investigators caught her trotting around and driving after claiming she was confined to a wheelchair.
McGill was jailed for five years and eight months in July 2019 – with a further eight months added on the following year for failing to pay back her ill-gotten gains.
Elsewhere, Michelle Hanney, 51, swindled more than £33,000 after claiming she could hardly walk and had to use a wheelchair to go outdoors.
But the Rotherham fraudster was found out after sharing photos on Facebook walking her horse and even getting onto the saddle.
She was sentenced to a 12-month community order after pleading guilty to fraudulent activity between May 2021 and August 2022.
Finally, Claire Finney, 41, falsely claimed she was a single mum so she could claim extra child tax credits, universal credit, housing benefit and income support.
But the mum was actually living with long-time partner Joseph Perry during her five-year money-stealing plot.
She used the £97,028.24 of taxpayer cash to enjoy five-star, luxury holidays with her family in Cyprus.
This comes after reports of gangs that had used Photoshop to scam the Department for Work and Pensions out of £8.5billion in 2022.
The swindlers had been editing themselves into screenshots taken from Google Maps in a bid to outsmart counterfraud officers.
And, The Sun revealed that over 7,000 Brits ineligible for social housing have been caught wrangling their way onto waiting lists.
Since 2020 government swindle busters have detected £26.4m worth of housing fraud.
The criminal activity, caught by the Cabinet Office’s National Fraud Initiative, came when queues for English council homes topped one million.
2
