Aimee Jeffrey, a mother of five from Portsmouth, pleaded guilty to one count of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances affecting entitlement to social security benefit. She fraudulently claimed £33,000 in Universal Credit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) while spending a £280,000 inheritance on clothes and holidays.
The Fraud and Its Discovery
According to the DWP, Jeffrey received the inheritance from her late step-mother but failed to report this change in her financial circumstances. As a result, she continued to receive Universal Credit payments from 2022 onwards, leading to an overpayment of £33,000. Noel Watkins, prosecuting, stated: “There is a Universal Credit payment to her for a declaration she made in 2020. But she had a significant change to her circumstances, in inheritance from her late step-mother. From 2022 she received an overpayment of £33,000 – it’s a substantial amount to take from the public purse. All of that money has gone now.”
Defense and Sentencing
Lewis Foster, defending, argued that Jeffrey pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and accepted responsibility. He explained that she was appointed executor for her stepmother, handled funeral arrangements, and managed employment while caring for her five children. According to Foster, all inherited money was used to clear existing debts and establish a business, which subsequently failed, leaving Jeffrey in debt again.
Judge David Robinson considered a community order but ultimately imposed a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for one year, with 15 rehabilitation days. Jeffrey must also pay a £154 surcharge and £85 in costs. The judge noted, “I make no application for compensation, but the authorities will recoup from your existing benefits payments.”
Government Response
Labour Party and DWP minister Andrew Western issued a warning: “The message is clear – don’t think you can steal from hard-working taxpayers. Whatever your reasons for committing benefit fraud, know that our investigators are wise to every trick in the book and we will find you. And if you know somebody is fleecing the system, report it.”
