Benefits cheat caught out on Aldi booze run after claiming £32,000 from DWP

22 December 2023 , 09:45

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Benefits cheat caught out on Aldi booze run after claiming £32,000 from DWP

A fraudster claimed more than £32,000 in disability benefits - but was caught out after being filmed on the Aldi booze run.

Michael Johnson, 69, stole £32,368.70 in Personal Independence Payments - benefits paid to the disabled who struggle with everyday tasks or getting around - but was caught as part of a crackdown on fraudsters by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

The pensioner was seen buying crates of beer from Aldi and carrying them, unaided, to his car. Preston Crown Court was told Johnson also walked to his local working men's club, and was caught carrying furniture into his property.

The surveillance footage was played to a judge at the court but the fraudster, who is from Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, was spared jail this week. His four-months prison term was suspended for a year, and the DWP is now seeking to recover the funds from Johnson. The defendant pleaded guilty to fraud, reports Lancs Live.

The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, said: "Fairness is at the heart of our welfare system. If you are disabled and in need of a helping hand, we will be there for you. But we will not tolerate those who try to cheat the taxpayer. Cases like this are proof our crack down on benefit fraud is working – thanks to our expert teams we plan to save the taxpayer £1.3billion this year and make sure our help goes to those who need it most."

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Michael Johnson was filmed on the booze run

It comes as part of the DWP's crackdown on benefit cheats. Along with wider benefits checks and controls, this saved £18billion last year and saw fraud and error decrease by 10 per cent.

Last month, a mum, from Liverpool, who scammed the government for thousands by continuing to claim benefits for her children after they went into social care was jailed.

Danielle Muirhead's two youngest children went into care on March 29, 2018. But the following month, the 32-year-old continued to claim a number of benefits by failing to disclose to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that they no longer stayed with her and she was not their primary carer.

Amy Fenton