A mother-of-three has avoided jail after falsely claiming more than £20,000 in benefits while concealing that her husband had moved back into the family home.
Chantelle Crookes, 32, claimed Universal Credit and council tax support from Breckland District Council by stating that she was the only adult living at the property in Norfolk.
She failed to tell authorities that her previously estranged husband, Shane Lord, had returned to the home. The reduced bills and benefit payments continued for almost four years, from February 2021 until September 2024.
Norwich Magistrates’ Court heard that Crookes ran the scheme for 191 weeks and claimed £20,595. She admitted dishonestly failing to report information affecting her benefit claim and not informing the Department for Work and Pensions that her circumstances had changed.
Crookes also admitted making a false representation in an April 2023 claim by failing to declare that she was “maintaining a common household” with her husband.
She was sentenced to a 12-month community order and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. The court heard that she was repaying the money.
Prosecutor Emma Pocknell said Crookes had concealed information relevant to her benefits. The offences would normally carry a prison sentence of between one and three years.
In mitigation, Annette Hall said Crookes had no previous convictions and had been struggling to support her three young children while dealing with physical and mental health problems.
“This is a lady who has never been in trouble before,” Ms Hall said. “It was committed to come to an extent out of necessity, more motivated by the family income not covering expenditure at the time.”
She said the claims had initially been legitimate before Crookes’ circumstances changed, coinciding with a deterioration in her health.
“She is not proud of it but things spiralled out of control,” Ms Hall added.
