A woman, Dawna Bird, aged 66, avoided imprisonment after confessing to defrauding over £14,000 in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) by not disclosing her residency abroad.
During her trial’s commencement, Bird admitted to fraud by withholding vital information concerning her whereabouts from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The court was informed that Bird was obligated to inform the DWP if she stayed outside the UK for more than 28 days, impacting her PIP entitlement.
Instead of complying, Bird spent nearly three years in Greece while unlawfully receiving PIP. Notably, she promoted her childminding services on Facebook while residing in Greece.
Bird’s husband, Harry Bird, had already been sentenced for fraudulently claiming approximately £70,000 in additional benefits, receiving a suspended nine-month prison term.
Despite the evidence against her, Bird, residing in Alvaston, Derby, also evaded imprisonment. Her five-month sentence was suspended for one year by Judge Shaun Smith KC at Derby Crown Court. The judge acknowledged the overwhelming evidence and Bird’s decision to repay the money gradually.
According to the prosecution led by Stefan Fox, Bird initiated her PIP claim in February 2019, failing to notify the DWP about her prolonged stays in Greece. The investigation revealed that Bird spent over 1,000 days abroad, a period when she should have informed the DWP.
Fox further mentioned, “Facebook posts indicated Bird’s relocation and childminding services in Greece. Upon returning to the UK in August 2023, Bird denied living abroad during a voluntary interview despite substantial evidence.”
In her defense, Bird’s barrister, Dan Scothern, stated that her initial claim was legitimate, and she is repaying the sum through direct deductions.
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