A woman, Dawna Bird, has avoided imprisonment after admitting to fraudulently claiming over £14,000 in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) while residing outside the UK. The court learned that she failed to disclose information to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) regarding her extended stay in Greece, which affected her PIP entitlement.
During her time in Greece, Bird continued to receive PIP benefits while offering childminding services on Facebook. Her husband, Harry Bird, had previously been sentenced for claiming approximately £70,000 in additional benefits, receiving a suspended nine-month prison term.
In a hearing at Derby Crown Court, Judge Shaun Smith KC suspended Dawna Bird’s five-month sentence for one year, emphasizing the overwhelming evidence against her. Despite initially denying living abroad, Bird has started repaying the misappropriated funds in installments.
According to prosecutor Stefan Fox, Dawna Bird first applied for PIP in February 2019, failing to notify the DWP of her prolonged stays in Greece, totaling over 1,000 days. Evidence from social media posts and travel records confirmed her extended absence from the UK.
Bird’s barrister, Dan Scothern, highlighted that her initial claim for PIP was legitimate, and she is now undergoing deductions to reimburse the misused funds.
