Lorraine Walker admitted that she had missed vital information about what income she needed to declare after failing to read the letters in detail. Lorraine Walker claimed more than £2,000 in benefits while being paid by two pension schemes. The 63-year-old admitted two fraud offences by failing to disclose information between April and October 2014 - namely two occupational pensions. She told Teesside Magistrates’ Court that she had received letters from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) but had not “read them in depth”, therefore missing vital information that she needed to
declare, reports Gazette Live . Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard Walker, who suffers from osteoporosis, was overpaid £2,407.44 in Employment Support Allowance and Jobseeker’s Allowance. “Payments were made on a basis that she had declared all of her income and savings to the Department for Work and Pensions ,” said Alan Davison, prosecuting. “Checks were made and the department discovered the defendant was being paid by two pension schemes including one from Thomas Cook.” Mr Davison said that had Walker properly read the DWP letters she’d received “they would have explained to her what she needed to declare”. The court heard how Walker, of Blakeston Court, in Norton , had never been in trouble before. Adam Hodgson, defending, told the court his client’s claim for benefits was initially legitimate. He said: “This lady is a woman of good character, she has entered a guilty plea as early as possible and has no previous convictions. “The claim which was being made for benefits was initially a legitimate one. “She was firstly in receipt of Job Seeker’s Allowance but due to ill health, she was moved to Employment and Support Allowance hence the fact there are two matters before you. “It was not until the pension payments began that she committed a crime by not reporting it to the benefits agency. “She is in the process of repaying the money to the department and has been paying £15 a week for several months.” Magistrates fined Walker £85 and ordered her to pay £115 costs.
declare, reports Gazette Live . Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard Walker, who suffers from osteoporosis, was overpaid £2,407.44 in Employment Support Allowance and Jobseeker’s Allowance. “Payments were made on a basis that she had declared all of her income and savings to the Department for Work and Pensions ,” said Alan Davison, prosecuting. “Checks were made and the department discovered the defendant was being paid by two pension schemes including one from Thomas Cook.” Mr Davison said that had Walker properly read the DWP letters she’d received “they would have explained to her what she needed to declare”. The court heard how Walker, of Blakeston Court, in Norton , had never been in trouble before. Adam Hodgson, defending, told the court his client’s claim for benefits was initially legitimate. He said: “This lady is a woman of good character, she has entered a guilty plea as early as possible and has no previous convictions. “The claim which was being made for benefits was initially a legitimate one. “She was firstly in receipt of Job Seeker’s Allowance but due to ill health, she was moved to Employment and Support Allowance hence the fact there are two matters before you. “It was not until the pension payments began that she committed a crime by not reporting it to the benefits agency. “She is in the process of repaying the money to the department and has been paying £15 a week for several months.” Magistrates fined Walker £85 and ordered her to pay £115 costs.