A WOMAN who wrongly received more than £21,000 in benefits after failing to notify the DWP about a change in her living arrangements must carry out 150 hours of unpaid work as punishment.

Donna Baker, 52, of Thornhill in Royal Wootton Bassett, pleaded guilty to not notifying the department of this change in Cricklade between January 24 2014 and May 9 2017 - 170 weeks of Employment and Support Allowance totalling £21,368.24.

The money will be recouped by the Department for Work and Pensions. Baker had received ESA since 2012 as her back pain and MS made her unable to work.

She'd truthfully claimed that she was estranged from her husband, sharing a marital home but living in separate households, but from 2014 the pair lived together.in Common Hill in Cricklade and moved to a mobile home park in 2016.

Philip Hall, defending, explained: "They owed money left right and centre, so they sold their home to pay off their £200,000 debts. They've not been able to move apart and when the house was sold she realised she couldn't manage living on her own."

A member from the probation team said: "They live in separate bedrooms, that's why both their names are on the tenancy agreement, she said she didn't know that this meant she couldn't claim benefits."

Baker must also attend 20 rehab activity days and pay £85 in costs.