Facebook Running Posts Uncover Benefit Scam

A woman who fraudulently claimed more than £20,000 in disability benefits by exaggerating the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) was exposed through her own Facebook posts about running.

Sara Morris, 50, from Stone, Staffordshire, was diagnosed with MS in 2005. In a 2020 claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), she stated that her condition had left her unable to stand at the cooker, affected her balance, and made it difficult to get out of the bath without help. She also reported experiencing severe anxiety when leaving the house, including trips to the pharmacy.

Based on these claims, Morris received £2,292.63 per month in benefits.

However, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that Morris was an active member of the Stone Master Marathoners running club and had participated in numerous races, including regular 5km and 10km events. A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) investigation in February 2023 revealed she had run a five-mile race unaided and showed no visible signs of the limitations she reported.

Investigators found Morris took part in 73 races between May 2019 and December 2022. She was overpaid £20,528.83 between October 2020 and April 2023.

Morris pleaded guilty to dishonestly making a false statement to obtain a benefit and was sentenced to eight months in prison last July.

At a recent proceeds of crime hearing, the court ruled that Morris had gained £22,386.02 from her fraudulent claim. With assets totalling £60,000, she was ordered to repay the full amount within 28 days or face nine months in prison in default. She was also ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge.

In mitigation, her lawyer Paul Cliff said Morris's condition fluctuates and acknowledged that her benefit application did not fully reflect her capabilities. He said the dishonesty followed the breakdown of her marriage and financial difficulties, adding that running was one way she managed her condition. Cliff stated Morris did not lead a lavish lifestyle and has struggled with the consequences of her actions.

GV Hale