A woman who fraudulently claimed £25,000 in benefits after stating she was housebound has been brought to justice after photographs surfaced of her running a 10k race and participating in combat classes at the gym.
Deception uncovered
Helen Green, 49, successfully deceived the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) into paying her Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a tax-free benefit designed to assist individuals with the additional costs of long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities. However, the swindler, who claimed to suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis, was exposed after footage of her working out at the gym and images of her taking part in the race were handed to investigators.
False claims
Green had told the DWP that she could barely feed herself, rarely left the house, and could not walk for more than five minutes without crutches. However, photographs from a 10k run showed her competently pounding the pavement without any mobility aids. Additionally, security footage from the gym captured her participating in Zumba, Body Combat, Body Pump, Core Blast, and Spin classes after the DWP received a tip-off via their fraud line.
Court appearance
Appearing at Shrewsbury Crown Court, Green was initially accused of falsely claiming £42,013 but pleaded guilty to an amended charge of £25,244. She was sentenced to seven months in prison after admitting dishonestly failing to notify the DWP of a change in circumstances. In her PIP claim, submitted between January 2020 and March 2023, she falsely stated that she needed assistance with washing, bathing, dressing, preparing meals, eating, and drinking. She even claimed her condition was lifelong and expected to worsen over time.
Investigation and evidence
Green’s deception was undone after a call was made to the DWP’s fraud line, prompting a swift investigation. Footage released by the DWP showed a compilation of Green working out in the gym, as well as grinning and waving in a combat class where she kicked another participant.
Official reactions
Labour's Minister for Transformation, Andrew Western, stated: “This is a slap in the face to taxpayers and the genuine claimants who depend on PIP to live their lives. Helen Green wasn’t just burning calories at the gym, she was also peddling lies and our investigators caught up with her. Let this be a warning – you can’t outrun the DWP.”
Mandy Tobias of the Crown Prosecution Service added: “Helen Green pretended she had limited movement, but instead was a regular runner and active in gym classes. She did this for her own greed and lined her pockets with fraudulently obtained money. The Crown Prosecution Service presented strong evidence thanks to the investigation work of the DWP showing Green’s deception, resulting in her guilty plea.”
