Jane Kraska aged 34, of School Drive in Lymm appeared before Warrington Magistrates Court on the Wednesday 8 February.
 
She failed to declare that both she and her partner had started working and they were overpaid housing benefit by £3932 and council tax benefit by £1084 meaning between April and December 2010 she falsely claimed a total of £5016.

Ms Kraska pleaded guilty to the charges brought against her and received a 12 month community order.  She was also ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid work and must repay the overpayment and £200 costs.
 
Adrian Webster, the council’s benefits manager, said: “Deliberately withholding information that affects your claim is stealing. That’s why we are targeting benefit thieves.”