Boston woman overpaid £10,000 carers allowance she falsely claimed for, court told

Tracey Dunworth, 50, of Fenside Road, admitted failing to notify the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that she had obtained employment and was therefore not entitled to the carer's allowance she had been receiving.

Prosecuting at Boston Magistrates Court, Kwok Wan said Mrs Dunworth had in the first instance made a proper claim for the allowance, but she failed to notify them that she had started work as a sales assistant from August 6 2015.

He said she was interviewed in November 2018 and admitted what she had done, which had resulted in an overpayment of £10,068.

Mr Wan said that although Mrs Dunworth was of previous good character, the DWP had asked for the case to be transferred to the crown court, as the only court which can make an order for repayment under the proceeds of crime legislation.

Mitigating, Michael Alexander said Mrs Dunworth cared for her husband, as well as his parents when they were alive, and her grandchildren and was under the impression she could do 20 hours work and still get paid the allowance.

The magistrates said they would have dealt with the matter themselves but for the claim under the proceeds of crime, and the case was remanded to the crown court for a date to be fixed.