Diana Lucas also sold her house and put the money into savings before claiming UC and Council Tax discounts
A woman won £20,000 on Premium Bonds, sold her house and put thousands into savings before claiming £23,000 in Universal Credit and thousands more in Council Tax discounts. Diana Lucas used her money for a year in India before returning to the UK, banking her fortune and claiming benefits on the basis that she didn’t have enough money.
Lucas, from Folkestone, applied for Universal Credit and a reduction in her council tax bill b etween 2021 and 2024 and received more than £23,000 after making false statements to the Department for Work and Pensions. A DWP investigation was launched after an anonymous tip-off and the 56-year-old’s accounts were investigated.
Lucas pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain benefits and dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a reduction on her council tax bill. Prosecutor Julia Farbrace said Lucas, of Pavilion Court, Marine Terrace, Folkestone claimed Universal Credit saying she was unemployed and had no income and was single. She then claimed a council tax reduction.
The prosecutor said someone reported her to the DWP. She said: “The allegation stated she had not declared her assets and that she’d had a win on the Premium Bonds. She had two bank accounts, and it was found she had greater than the excess upper amount allowed to claim Universal Credit and a reduction in council tax.”
If you have more than £16,000 in savings you cannot claim Universal Credit.
The court heard that Lucas had paid the council tax back – but there is “a lot outstanding” in terms of the Universal Credit. Nigel Riley, defending, said his client is “genuinely remorseful and fully accepts she made a false representation over her savings”.
He said Lucas initially sold her property and “moved to India for a year”, and then came back and made the claim after using her own funds to pay three months’ rent. “It was totally wrong,” Mr Riley told the court.
He said Lucas had set aside the £20,000 win on the government-backed savings scheme for her family. Mr Riley said: “Her daughter knew she had the money and she was giving her money and supporting her, so she made the claim. It was a false declaration.”
Magistrates heard Lucas had health issues, including severe arthritis and a disc disorder in her back and was waiting for operations to her foot and knee. Mr Riley added: “It was out of character and she’s very unlikely to come to court again. You may take a view it passes the custody threshold, but I ask, if you do, you could consider suspending any sentence of imprisonment and/or place her on a community order.”
Magistrates jailed Lucas for 30 weeks for the Universal Credit offence, but suspended the term for 12 months. She received no separate penalty for the council tax reduction offence but was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £187 and court costs of £85. She must pay what she owes the court in full within 28 days.