A BEWSEY mum called the tax office to find out how being married would affect her payments before falsely claiming more than £30,000 in three years.

Samantha Aldred, of Calgarth Avenue, was given a suspended prison sentence and told to carry out unpaid work when she appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday.

Aldred, 37, received an overpayment of tax credits amounting to £32,859 in almost three years, the court heard.

Johnathan Rogers, prosecuting, told the court: “The defendant had a legitimate claim for benefits in 2003 when she claimed child tax credit and working tax credit.

“She also claimed widowed parent allowance and housing benefit.

“In December 2013 she failed to declare her marriage and her change in circumstance.

“She denied knowing that her marriage would affect the widowed parent allowance despite being notified on several occasions.”

The court heard how Aldred phoned HMRC but failed to declare that she was married and inquired as to what would happen if she informed them that someone had moved in to her house.

The prosecution added: “The opportunity was given to come clean and the defendant did not take it.”

Aldred pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to notify changes in her circumstances and two counts of being knowingly concerned in the fraudulent payment of tax credits.

Neil Gunn, defending, told the court how Aldred looked after her child and worked as a support worker for children with similar needs.

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, said: “You are a good woman, a hard worker and a good mother and that is very much in your favour. But for three years you defrauded the public of money that could have been given to others who needed it.

“It is a huge amount of money and this is a serious case because it went on for three years.”

The judge praised Aldred’s references and due to family needs and the valuable work for the community she carries out, he told her it would not be in the public interest to send her to prison immediately.

In addition to the eight-month suspended sentence, Aldred was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.