A carer committed fraud when she claimed £8,000 worth of benefits she was not entitled to.

Carole Evans failed to tell both Calderdale Council and the Department for Work and Pensions when both she and her husband started work.

The 46-year-old pleaded guilty to three charges of dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances likely to affect her entitlement to a benefit.

She told police: “I’m guilty. I have a disabled daughter and we are struggling financially.”

The frauds were committed between November 2014 and April 2016, Kirklees magistrates were told.

In 2011 she made successful claims for income support, housing benefit and carer’s allowance.

Video Loading

This was on the basis that neither she nor her partner were in receipt of any income.

The claims were not fraudulent from the outset but following a routine inspection the DWP discovered that both of them had started paid employment.

This was confirmed by her husband’s employer and by Evans’ own employer when she started work in November 2015 as a home carer for Mears Care Ltd.

Prosecutor Andy Wills said: “The defendant failed to declare a change in both of their personal circumstances.

“Had this been notified to the DWP and Calderdale Council it would have affected her entitlement to the benefits.”

Department for Work and Pensions

Evans, of Tennyson Street in Halifax, was overpaid £8,072 as a result of the fraud.

In interview she claimed that she believed she could earn up to £100 per week before she had to report a change of her circumstances, although there were occasions when she earned more than this.

She said: “I know I shouldn’t have done it, I’m guilty.

“I have a disabled daughter. What I did was wrong we are struggling financially.”

Magistrates were told that Evans had no previous convictions.

They heard that she faced challenges including caring for her adult daughter who has global developmental delay, when children are significantly delayed in their cognitive and physical development.

Do you want news alerts on Whatsapp?

The Examiner has launched a Whatsapp group to help make sure you don't miss a news break or big story.

If you'd like to receive alerts text NEWS to 07833 287309 . Then add the number to your contacts as 'Examiner'.

Your phone number won't be shared.

Her solicitor Danny Wolfson told magistrates: “You’ve heard of the challenges that this lady has, which does explain what happened.

“She accepts that rather foolishly she continued to claim benefits even though initially her partner was working and she was then working.

“She didn’t tell the DWP about her change in circumstances and she’s very sorry and wants to apologise for what she has done.”

Mr Wolfson added that his client is working with the DWP to repay the money.

Magistrates sentenced her to a community order with 120 hours of unpaid work.

She will have to pay £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.