Man jailed over wills and probate abuse

A man has been jailed after abusing the wills and probate system.

Peter Clarke has been handed a four month jail sentence as he was the recipient of a sizeable inheritance yet still claimed benefits, the St Helen's Star reported.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was told that Mr Clarke, 52, had not informed them of his inheritance despite receiving income support from 1991.

Mr Clarke admitted that he had not told them his situation had changed and confessed to two charges of getting money by false representation.

An investigation by the department looked at Mr Clarke's bank statements and found that his bank accounts had over £50,000 in them from 2004.

The statements also revealed that the defendant had over £85,000 in his accounts by February of 2010.

This case highlights the importance of declaring changes in circumstance, such as receiving an inheritance payout, to the authorities if you are claiming any benefits to avoid facing a distressing situation at a later date.

Published by Hannah Carr