Probation for woman who fraudulently claimed £9K of benefits

38-year-old failed to declare maintenance payments and other bank accounts

A Douglas woman has been ordered to work with the probation service after fraudulently claiming almost £9,000.

Jennifer Anne Cowie, of Lheannag Park, admitted failing to inform Treasury her circumstances had changed between 2021 and 2023.

The 38-year-old also made false representations to obtain benefits on two occasions in 2022.

The court heard she’d failed to declare she was receiving maintenance payments and had failed to declare PayPal and Barclays bank accounts.

Cowie’s advocate said she thought the payments had been ‘gift money’ and had been spent on ‘basic necessities’ for her family; he added that the PayPal account held £3,000 she’d won on a betting app.

Imposing a 12-month probation order High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Cowie: "This was a significant overpayment. You knew that you should have declared the extra income you were receiving."

Cowie must also pay prosecution costs of £50. The court was told she’s paying back the overpayment, from her benefits, at a rate of £15 per week.