Benefit Cheat Continued Collecting Dead Mum's Money

A benefit cheat continued collecting her deceased mother’s pension for nearly eight years during a £77,000 fraud, a court heard.

School clerical assistant Hilary Wilson, 46, did not report the sudden death, which occurred during a visit to Jamaica and was never registered in this country.

The other-of-two, of Solon Road, Brixton pleaded guilty to defrauding the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) between August 10, 2009 and February 12, 2017.

Inner London Crown Court heard Wilson’s mother’s state pension was paid into a joint account she held with her daughter so continuing to access the payments was not a problem for the defendant.

Inner London Crown Court she received fifteen months imprisonment, suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 120 hours community service.

Wilson must also complete fifteen days of rehabilitation and the DWP will make deductions from benefits she continues to receive for herself rather than pursue full confiscation.

Prosecutor Sam Barker told the court: “It is seventy-seven thousand she is not entitled to. She dishonestly received a benefit she was never entitled to.”

The fraud was exposed during a review of Wilson’s finances. 

Her lawyer told the court she was the only breadwinner in the household following the death of her husband and has a son, 10, and daughter, 24, who have health problems.

Judge Ian Darling told Wilson: “You pleaded guilty to a dishonest course of conduct that lasted a very long time. You continued to receive your mother’s pension even though she died many years ago and that continued until your arrest.

“You became used to having these monies available to you and it became part of your daily life.

“You have been very dishonest, but in circumstances that mitigate that dishonesty I suspect the longer it went on the harder it was for you to do anything about it.”