A WOMAN who fraudulently claimed thousands of pounds of benefits to which she was not entitled while working as a barmaid at a South Petherton club has been ordered to carry out 80 hours’ unpaid work.

A court heard that Diane Gordon was struggling to make ends meet after being hit by the government’s bedroom tax when she failed to inform South Somerset District Council that her working hours had increased.

Mrs Gordon continued to claim housing benefit to which she was not entitled for three years.

When investigators realised she had been making a fraudulent claim she was interviewed and found to have received more than £5,000 which she should not have had.

Gordon, 58, of Brinsop Crescent, Yeovil, admitted that between April 2, 2012 and February 8, 2015 she dishonestly failed to notify South Somerset District Council of a change of circumstances which she knew would affect her entitlement to housing benefit, namely that her earnings from employment had increased.

Prosecutor Emma Lenanton said that the period Gordon claimed benefits to which she was not entitled spanned three years.

“During that time she was being paid more than she declared and the total amount overpaid to her was £5,203.25,” she said.

She added that the defendant had already set up a repayment plan to pay back the money she owed.

Defending, Chris Ivory said that Gordon’s claim was not fraudulent at the outset and she made full and frank admissions when interviewed by investigators.

He said she had fallen foul of the law while working as a barmaid at South Petherton and accepted she became loose in terms of keeping the council up to date with exactly what her wages were.

“The main reason she was in financial dire straits was because she was living in a three bedroomed house and found it incredibly difficult to keep her family home because of the bedroom tax,” he said.

Mr Ivory added: “She wanted to stay there because her circle of friends and support were all in the street where she lived.

“However she has now had to move out of the property and is now living in a one bedroomed flat and feels quite isolated.”

The magistrates sentenced Gordon to a 12 month community order with the unpaid work requirement attached.

She was also ordered her to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £20 towards costs.