A MOTHER who received extra benefits while her son was in hospital has escaped punishment.
Magistrates found that Stephanie Edwards did not benefit from funds used to pay her daughter’s nursery fees while her son faced surgery.
Edwards, of Shepherd’s Grove, Deighton, appeared before Huddersfield Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with failing to notify the benefits agency of a change in circumstances.
She was paid £7,066,70 in housing benefit and £1,635,36 in council tax credit when she was also being given childcare costs she’d not disclosed.
The costs were used for a nursery for her youngest daughter while her 15-year-old son was in hospital.
In mitigation Edwards said she did not benefit from the extra funds, as they went straight to covering the childcare fees. But she pleaded guilty to taking the extra benefits.
Prosecutor Sarah Swarbrick said Edwards received an extra £150 a week in working tax credit and child tax credit from July 2008 which she failed to declare.
It was discovered in May 2010 and she said she didn’t think she was doing anything wrong.
Magistrates found in her favour and said they believed she did not mean to take money she was not entitled to.
They gave her a conditional discharge for 12 months, which means if she offends again in that time she could face punishment for this offence.
