Georgina Vinall, 42, (pictured) filled out a declaration form in 2010 saying her husband Mark had died earlier that year
A mum-of-seven has been jailed after she fraudulently claimed almost £18,000 of taxpayers’ money by falsely telling a council her husband was dead.
Georgina Vinall, 42, filled out a declaration form in 2010 saying her husband Mark had died earlier that year. In fact, Mark was living with her and their children.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court heard how between 2010 and 2017, Vinall claimed a total of £46,449.64 in housing benefit and income support – £17,799.82 of which she admitted she was not entitled to.
But an investigation, launched after Derbyshire Dales District Council received a tip-off that Mark Vinall was actually alive, led them to the address they had been sharing in Brailsford, Derbyshire.
In an interview, Georgina Vinall even went as far as saying the claim ‘was a mistake on other people’s part in filling out the forms’ that she originally signed seven years before.
Now she has been jailed after pleading guilty to five counts of making false statements to secure benefits she was not entitled to.
Handing her a 26-week prison term, District Judge Jonathan Taaffe said: ‘Mrs Vinall, it gives me no pleasure to impose on you the type of sentence I am about to impose.
‘This is a situation where you had reported your husband had died and as a result you made a declaration which went on for a significant period of time.
‘But your husband was alive and living with you and your family.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court heard how between 2010 and 2017, Vinall claimed a total of £46,449.64 in housing benefit and income support – £17,799.82 of which she admitted she was not entitled to
‘You received a substantial payment of public funds to which you were not entitled and public funds are not a bottomless pit.
‘It is clear this was fraudulent from the outset and even when challenged by the DWP (Department for Works and Pensions) you maintained it was not a fraudulent claim.
‘This was a deliberate and planned course of action and the court has a duty to impose a deterrent sentence.’
Lynn Bickley, prosecuting, said the fraud began in 2010 when Georgina Vinall, who now lives with her parents in Chatsworth Road, Rowsley, made the claim for benefits to the district council when she was living with her husband and children in Brailsford.
She signed the forms saying her husband had died and went on to claim the housing benefit and income support into 2017.
Miss Bickley said: ‘Information was received that she was actually living with her husband and an investigation was launched.
‘In her interview, when she was asked why she had said what she had she replied that it was a mistake on other people’s parts when filling out the forms.
‘The total amount paid was £46,449.64 but the total over payment that can be charged to her is £17,799.82.’
David Gittins, defending Vinall, said his client ‘conceded that from the outset it was a fraudulent claim’.
Mr Gittins said: ‘It is not a situation where she was living the high life and driving and expensive car.
‘She is a mother-of-seven who felt the financial pressure and she knows her offending crosses the custodial threshold.’