AN Ayr woman reaped over £18k of taxpayers’ money by claiming benefits she was not entitled to.

Maureen Dunlop of Beech Grove, Ayr, now needs to sell her house to repay amounts unlawfully gained from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The 59-year-old was in false receipt of £12,160.95 worth of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and £6,762.86 of Employment and Support Allowance. The amounts accrued over a period of almost two years.

Dunlop returned to work for hotels in Prestwick but continued claiming benefits from the DLA between August 2015 and April 2017, and ESA between October 2015 and December 2016.

The benefit cheat plead guilty at Ayr Sheriff Court on Tuesday, October 9 for the offences and was ordered to 120 hours of unpaid work.

Defending Dunlop, solicitor Glenn Davis told the court she was experiencing some personal difficulties including the death of her husband.

He said: “She is 59, a widow, with no previous convictions.

She had personal difficulties.

“She has accepted that to deal with this is to put her house on the market. There is currently an arrangement in place and has been no default.”

Sheriff D.W. Hall told Dunlop: “I know you are putting your house on the market which will allow you to have funds. I accept there has been issues. This is a serious matter and will be marked as an alternative to custody.”

The 120 hours of unpaid work must be completed within 10 months.