Woman wrongly claimed nearly £16k in benefits

A court’s heard a 60 year old woman defrauded the taxpayer out of almost £16,000 in benefits over more than a year.

Arlene Quayle of Keppel Road in Willaston appeared before High Bailiff Jayne Hughes at Douglas Courthouse.

She admitted failing to tell the benefits office about a change in her circumstances between December 2017 and January 2019.

Prosecutor Barry Swain said Quayle hadn’t declared her partner’s income after he found work, and had been overpaid a total of £15,841.

Mrs Hughes said Quayle knew she should have informed the benefits office about the change in circumstances as she’d been claiming income support since 2005, and said it would take around six years for her to repay the money.

She ordered Quayle to do 140 hours of community service and pay £50 in costs.