Benefit cheat who claimed she could not walk caught doing spin classes at gym

A benefit cheat who claimed she could not walk was caught on CCTV working out at the gym. Helen Green, 49, received more than £25,000 in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) between January 2020 and March 2023 after claiming that she was housebound due to severe rheumatoid arthritis in every joint and a slipped disk. Green told the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that she relied on crutches and needed constant help with daily tasks. Following a tip-off, a DWP investigation obtained footage of Green working out in a gym. She was also discovered to be an active member of a running club. DWP accused Green, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire, of falsely claiming £42,013 in PIP. On Tuesday (19 May), she was jailed for seven months after pleading guilty to dishonestly failing to notify DWP of a change in circumstances, at an amended amount of £25,244.