A woman, Sarah Yarwood, successfully deceived authorities and obtained £70,000 by falsely claiming she had cancer. Yarwood, aged 39, fabricated medical documents to support her claim of having a terminal illness, while actually living with her partner despite stating she was single. Over six years, she received £27,998 in Personal Independent Payments (PIP) and £42,157 in Universal Credit (UC) by manipulating the system. Despite suspicions being raised, Yarwood continued to exploit the situation for financial gain.
Recently, Yarwood was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison by Preston Crown Court for perpetrating a sustained fraud. Judge Michael Maher condemned her actions, highlighting the extensive web of lies she spun regarding her health conditions. Yarwood claimed to have cancer, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, and Lewy body dementia, using fake medical records to validate her fabrications until authorities intervened.
Records from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) revealed Yarwood’s deceitful claims of terminal cancer to receive benefits under special rules meant for individuals with a prognosis of less than six months to live. She falsely asserted undergoing chemotherapy for bone cancer that had spread to her liver, later claiming a misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis in favor of Parkinson’s disease.
In her defense, Yarwood’s lawyer mentioned her diagnosis of complex PTSD and depressive disorder, citing these as contributing factors to her actions. Despite having repaid only a fraction of the fraudulent sum, Yarwood now faces a debt of £30,000.
