Pensioner conned more than £1,600 in taxpayer cash for her brother's funeral

12 March 2024 , 13:14

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Mary Johnston was taken to court

A grieving pensioner conned more than £1,600 in benefits for her brother's funeral after claiming he had no money, despite distributing all his cash to his grandchildren.

Mary Johnston lied to the benefits agency after her brother Charles Kelbie's death and made a dodgy 'funeral support payment' claim for help to pay for his funeral. Dundee Sheriff Court was told that 70-year-old Johnston distributed all of Mr Kelbie's cash between his grandchildren after his death.

The court heard that there was then no money left to pay funeral costs so she made a the claim for benefits from Social Security Scotland. She admitted giving false and misleading information to the benefits agency by claiming that her late brother had died without any life insurance policy.

The court was told that Johnston was paid £1,625 to pay funeral costs after giving the fake information. Johnston, of Dundee, admitted carrying out the fraudulent offence on 20 September 2021. Solicitor Morgan Day, defending, said Johnston had saved £130 to pay back and had also set up a payment plan to hand back £20 per month.

Ms Day said: "That is to be continued until the full sum is paid. The situation arose because there was an insurance policy in relation to her deceased brother. It was, on her brother's wishes, to be paid equally to his grandchildren. She has provided bank statements to show £5,000 was distributed as per his wishes.

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"That left her unable to pay funeral costs. She is extremely embarrassed to find herself in court. She has done a lot of fundraising for charity in her time and the prospect of being in court for fraud has caused her distress." Johnston was admonished.

Kelly-Ann Mills