Castletown shop owner ordered to do unpaid work

63-year-old wrongly claimed almost £17k in benefits

A Castletown shop owner who claimed almost £17,000 in benefits she wasn’t entitled to has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Alison Mary Phillips, of Orry Place, made nine false representations to obtain financial support between July 2016 and April 2020.

The 63-year-old also admitted committing benefit fraud by failing to inform the Treasury of a change in her circumstances.

In total she was overpaid £16,963.45.

During sentencing at Douglas Courthouse the court heard the self-employed woman had been earning money whilst claiming incapacity benefit.

However her advocate said the claim hadn’t been fraudulent from the outset.

Magistrates ordered Philips to carry out 120 hours of community service – she will also have to pay prosecution costs of £50.