An “appalling” benefits fraudster has been spared jail – despite lying about her mother’s death in order to pocket £35,000 in tax cash.
Francine Best, also known as Francine Smithen, claimed social care funds for her mother long after her death in September 2020.
Birmingham City Council, none the wiser, continued to pay out £35,464 in direct payments which were supposed to help her look after her parent.
Instead, the 64-year-old continued to claim the money and spent it on herself.
Authorities did not find out about Best’s mother for another 18 months, only realising what had happened in February 2022.
The city council’s fraud team carried out investigations and found Best had falsely told a social worker in September 2021 that her mother was still alive for a year after she had died.
Best gave false information from the outset of the direct payments claim, saying the care for her mother was being provided by the patient’s granddaughter.
In reality, the money was going into Best’s own bank account and she then spent it on herself.
Francine Best was sentenced to a 24-month community order at Birmingham Crown Court
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Best pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud and two counts of money laundering at an earlier hearing at Birmingham Magistrates’s Court.
On Wednesday, October 29, she was sentenced to a 24-month community order at Birmingham Crown Court.
The order included a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement.
Labour Councillor Mariam Khan, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care, said: “These payments are meant to help and support our elderly and vulnerable residents be as independent as possible and get the support they need.”
BENEFITS FRAUDSTERS – READ MORE:
The Government paid out a total of £6.5billion in false benefit claims in the year to March 2025
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She added: “For someone to abuse the system in such a way is appalling to see.
“And I want to offer my thanks to the council’s fraud team for a thorough investigation.
“I hope this prosecution acts as a deterrent for anyone else trying to falsely claim taxpayers’ money.”
Official statistics reveal the Department for Work & Pensions paid out £6.5billion in false benefit claims in the year to March 2025.
In the same time period, the total amount overpaid by the Government was £9.5billion in benefits, due to fraud, claimant error and official error.
Just £1.1billion of these overpayments were recovered.
