Benefit cheat pocketed nearly £14,000 after lying about living alone

A woman has pleaded guilty to three benefit fraud offences after receiving overpayments totalling £13,906.

Anne-Marie Ellis, 46, of Allen Street in Douglas on the Isle of Man, is due to be sentenced in summary court today following the preparation of a probation report.

The court heard that Ellis had been receiving Employment and Support Allowance between July 2022 and March 2024.

She then switched to Income Support, which she claimed until September 2025, the court heard.

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Prosecuting advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge outlined how authorities became aware in February 2025 that a man had been residing at Ellis's property.

The defendant's failure to disclose this living arrangement formed the basis of the fraud charges.

Defence advocate Kaitlyn Shimmin informed the court that Ellis has no prior criminal record and requested the probation report, indicating relevant background information that could assist in sentencing.

Investigators obtained bank records revealing that Ellis had been receiving payments from the man, while vehicle registration data further confirmed his presence at the address.

Between August and September 2025, authorities conducted surveillance operations at the property.

They observed the man depart each morning and return each evening.

When questioned, Ellis maintained that her partner had only been staying a couple of nights weekly and occasionally visited to help care for the children.

Confronted with the banking evidence, she claimed the payments had been irregular, leading her to believe they did not require declaration.

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Ellis acknowledged that the man had been present at her home more frequently than was permissible.

She explained that she had been awaiting a corporation house and feared that declaring his residence might jeopardise her position on the waiting list.

Ms Dodge told the court that the benefit claim had not been dishonest from its inception, but rather Ellis had neglected to report her changed circumstances.

The prosecution emphasised that the fraud developed over time as the defendant's living situation evolved without proper notification to authorities.

Kaitlyn Shimmin, representing Ellis, highlighted her client's clean criminal history when requesting the probation assessment, noting that certain background details could be relevant to the court's deliberations.

Ellis has been released on bail of £500.

Her conditions require her to remain at her home address and to seek court permission before leaving the island.

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