A WOMAN has admitted falsely claiming benefits after failing to reveal an increase in contributions to the household budget from her husband.

Wendy Rice also failed to notify Durham County Council that her son had begun working, which would have further affected her benefits entitlement.

Appearing at Durham Crown Court, Rice, of Tregoney Avenue, Murton, admitted falsely claiming housing and council tax benefits as well as jobseekers’ allowance, over a period of three years.

The court heard the 51-year-old first applied to the county council for housing and council tax benefit, in May 2010, but her application was refused because her husband’s earnings were too high.

Michael Cahill, prosecuting, said she applied again for housing and council tax benefit, in January 2011, and also made a claim to the Department for Work and Pensions for jobseekers’ allowance, claiming that she was separated from her husband and had no income.

Both applications were approved.

Mr Cahill said Rice informed the council that her son was now living at her home and was also in receipt of jobseekers’ allowance, late in 2012.

But, in 2013, she failed to notify the council that her son had started working.

Evidence was obtained from Rice’s bank revealing that the income of both her and her husband was paid into a joint account and there was no separation of their finances.

Mr Cahill said the false claims enabled her to receive £26,790.44 to which she was not entitled, between January 2011 and March 2014.

This was made up of £8,273 in housing benefit, £2,611 in council tax benefits and £15,906 overpaid in jobseekers’ allowance.

Susan Hirst, mitigating, told the court Rice, who is of previous good character, has health problems and is concerned that a conviction would affect her future employment prospects.

Miss Hirst added that Rice is now repaying the money.

Judge Peter Kelson imposed a 12-month community sentence, with an order that Rice must perform 150-hours’ unpaid work, and pay a £60 statutory surcharge.

Speaking after the hearing, Paul Bradley, the county council’s chief internal auditor and corporate fraud manager, said: “Benefit fraud is a serious crime and we will seek to prosecute anyone who makes a false claim.”

He added that the case should, “serve as a reminder” of the importance of notifying changes in circumstances when claiming benefits.