A woman identified as a benefits cheat managed to deceive authorities and unlawfully obtain £70,000 by falsely claiming she had cancer. Sarah Yarwood utilized fabricated hospital documents to support her claim that she was terminally ill, despite actually living with her partner while asserting she was single.

Over a span of six years, Yarwood received a total of £27,998 in personal independent payments (PIP) and £42,157 in universal credit (UC) by consistently fabricating her circumstances. Despite facing suspicions, she continued to justify her need for financial assistance, stating it was essential for her survival.

Recently, Yarwood was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison by a judge at Preston Crown Court, who condemned her actions as a sustained act of fraud. The judge emphasized the severity of her deceit, particularly highlighting the elaborate web of lies she constructed around her fake medical conditions to secure financial benefits.

Yarwood had falsely claimed to suffer from various serious illnesses, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and Lewy body dementia, substantiating her lies with forged medical documents over a period from 2017 to 2023. Court records revealed her consistent exploitation of the system and her persistent appeals for sympathy based on her fabricated health conditions.

In one instance in 2017, Yarwood expedited her claim for PIP benefits under special provisions for terminal patients, leading to a quick approval and a three-year benefits award. She continued to spin tales about her deteriorating health, falsely asserting that her cancer had metastasized and she was undergoing terminal treatment.

Yarwood’s defense counsel mentioned her lack of prior criminal history and her diagnosis of complex PTSD and depressive disorder as mitigating factors. Despite having repaid only a small portion of the fraudulently obtained funds, she now finds herself in significant debt amounting to £30,000.