A woman who claimed she was too ill to leave home has avoided jail after defrauding the UK benefits system of more than £23,000 ($30,688) while travelling abroad. Catherine Wieland, 33, from Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, was discovered by the Department for Work and Pensions carrying out activities that contradicted her housebound claim.
Between 2021 and 2024, Wieland received £23,662 ($31,572) in Personal Independence Payments, which are intended to support people with severe disabilities or health conditions. She maintained she was suffering from crippling anxiety that left her unable to leave her house, cook, or wash herself.
