Benefit cheat caught running 10k races and doing Zumba classes – after claiming she could not walk
Helen Green, a 49-year-old woman, was found guilty of benefit fraud after claiming she could not walk while participating in gym classes and 10k races. She received over £25,000 in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) despite her claims of severe arthritis. Green was sentenced to seven months in jail for dishonestly failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of her change in circumstances.
- ▪Helen Green claimed to suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis and was housebound.
- ▪She received more than £25,000 in PIP from January 2020 to March 2023.
- ▪A DWP investigation revealed she was actively participating in gym classes and running events.
- ▪Green pleaded guilty to failing to notify the DWP of her improved condition.
- ▪She was sentenced to seven months in jail for her fraudulent claims.
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NewsUKCrimeBenefit cheat caught running 10k races and doing Zumba classes – after claiming she could not walkHelen Green received more than £25,000 in PIP over the space of three yearsStephanie Wareham Tuesday 19 May 2026 16:32 BSTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":false,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2979650","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/pip-benefit-fraud-helen-green-b2979650.html","title":"Benefit cheat caught running 10k races – after claiming she could not walk"}}open image in gallery{"id":"trigger-autogallery-37164","index":0}Helen Green was caught on camera taking…
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