Shrewsbury woman jailed for £25,244 disability benefits fraud

A Shropshire woman has been sentenced to seven months in prison after falsely claiming more than £25,000 in disability benefits while actively participating in gym classes and running events. Helen Green, 49, from Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty to dishonestly failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of a change in her circumstances.

Between January 2020 and March 2023, Green received Personal Independence Payment (PIP) after telling officials she suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis in every joint and a slipped disk. She stated the conditions left her housebound, requiring crutches to walk for more than five minutes, and that she needed assistance with washing, dressing, preparing meals, and eating.

An investigation was launched following a tip-off to the DWP's fraud line. Investigators discovered that Green was a member of a running club and had completed a 10-kilometer race in one hour and three minutes. Security footage from a gym also showed her regularly participating in high-intensity classes including Zumba, body combat, body pump, core blast, and spin.

While initially accused of falsely claiming £42,013, the Crown accepted her guilty plea to the lesser...