to hope this is NOT a sign of things to come. DLA and disability related.

[littlemisssarcastic]

The story in my local newspaper has horrified me. This woman is 71 years old and is facing jail for claiming DLA and failing to notify DWP of an improvement in her health.
I am actually horrified that she faces the possibility of jail.
How disabled does a person have to be to qualify for DLA ffs?

The newspaper has much more information in than the article here and in the newspaper, it details how this woman " suffers from COPD, osteoarthritis, a crumbling spine, asthma and depression "

Just because an investigator saw a snapshot of her apparently walking briskly through a supermarket, she is possibly facing jail for benefit fraud.

I truly despair of a society which deems a woman with health issues such as this woman is not disabled.

How disabled does a person have to be to be eligible to claim DLA?

I think that we should wait and see if she is given a prison sentence.

She may still be disabled, but that doesn't mean that she was entitled to DLA, they are separate issues.

"How disabled does a person have to be to be eligible to claim DLA?"

They have to fit into a category set out on the forms. Some people are disabled and should get DLA, but don't.

However i don't think that she is entitled to it and comitted fraud, so should be charged.

I don't know the specifics of this case, but it's worth pointing out that DLA has the smallest proportion of fraudulent claims of any benefit.

Gt the story right - she is 71, she works in Tesco, is deemed fit and well - but claims she cannot walk 5 meters unaided - shes been filmed working her shift THREE times

She is a fraudster - she pleaded guilty to accepting £31K+ she was not entitled to.

A 71-YEAR-OLD woman faces jail for cheating taxpayers out of £31,806 in disability benefits after a secret investigator filmed her working fit and well in Tesco

Patricia Kent, of Longmeads Close, Writtle, wrote on her Disability Living Allowance (DLA) form that it took her nearly 60 seconds to walk just five yards using crutches.

Yet a secret investigator spied on the great-grandmother, who was receiving £76.25 a week, as she walked to work after parking her car at Tesco, and walked briskly through the aisles unaided.

But in September 2011, Department of Work and Pensions officer Paul Carlisle embarked on a video investigation following a tip-off from a member of the public.

He filmed her on three occasions, which included following her around Tesco with a phone camera and while driving behind her to Little Waltham four days later.

She was found guilty of not informing the Government of an improvement in her health, of knowingly failing to do so and for acting dishonestly. Prosecuting Jamie Sawyer said: "We accept she may have had difficulties and at times she had periods off work for operations but her disability improved and she failed to inform the authorities.

"She accepted she had worked at Tesco while claiming her allowance and the overpayment was £31,806."

Benefit fraud investigator Paul Carlisle told the court: "I drove to Longmeads Close arriving just before 8am and saw a red Renault parked in the driveway before she drove out just before 9am. I followed the vehicle which stopped in Princes Road, Chelmsford.

"She got out of the car and I noticed she was wearing a Tesco uniform. She got out and she wasn't using any crutches. I followed her to the store where she went into the staff-only entrance at the back."

He said he returned at 9.26am and continued: "I saw her behind the tills processing goods, putting items through. Later, I went to the coffee shop in the vicinity of her till and observed her putting things through normally."

The woman says she has good and bad days. The investigator filmed her on 3 occasions which included following her around tesco, and driving behind her 4 days later.
The investigator said " I drove to Longmeads Close arriving just before 8am and saw a red renault parked in the driveway before she drove out just before 9am. I followed the vehicle which stopped in Princes Road, Chelmsford. She got out of the car and I noticed she was wearing a tesco uniform. So what??
She got out and wasn't using any crutches. I followed her to the store where she went into the staff only entrance at the back.

So she wasn't using crutches that day? Perhaps she was on strong medication? Do disabled people have to actually look disabled all of the time to avoid being accused of being benefit cheats?

The newspaper makes several references to how she was working, and nowhere have they clarified that DLA is NOT an out of work benefit. I think the article is misleading in that respect tbh.

She accepted she had worked at Tesco while claiming her allowance and the overpayment was £31,806."

WTF has the fact that she was working got anything to do with this case? Why have the newspaper put crap like this in the paper?

She got her level of DLA because she cannot walk unaided.

She admitted guilt.

I fail to see the problem in convicing her and sentancing her.

"WTF has the fact that she was working got anything to do with this case"

On the DLA form, it asked you how you are on a day to day basis and how you carryout your essential and hobby activities and what support you need to live a full life.

She didn't inform the DWP of a change in her health, so fraudulently claimed DLA.

She couldn't have done her job and been entitled to her DLA, based on what she put on the claim form, as they are a contradiction.

To qualify for the higher rate mobility component she needed to be virtually unable to walk. She claimed she was, she actually wasn't, she's pleaded guilty accepting she behaved dishonestly. Not sure what your problem is with this really.

She was found guilty!

The newspaper have run the story in the same way they report any other local crime.

I can't see the problem with someone being punished for a crime they knowingly committed. Being old or disabled doesn't put you above the law.

Thats untrue zillion My son is on higher rate mobility because he can't go out without another adult - he can walk perfectly fine - he has mental health issues which means he gets lost, needs supervision, can't use public transport because of his problems, will go off with strangers, gets frightened at general noises, has panic attacks even in famiiar places if nobody familiar is around to assist him and so on - he's 20 years old. He is like a 5 year old in his mind - but he can walk....
Disability is multi faceted. Its ignorant to think you are only entitled to higher rate mobility if you can't walk. Unless it is suggested I let him go alone because, heck, he can walk?