A CARDIGAN mother-of-seven who took it upon herself to admit she had been fraudulently claiming benefits of over £7,300 has been handed a community order.

Heidi Blake, of 27 Bron y Dre, was in receipt of money from a Trust Fund when she claimed Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Income Support betwen 2009 and 2014, Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday.

Blake, 37, pleaded guilty to the offence at an earlier hearing.

The court was told that Blake had turned herself in to the DWP branch in Cardigan to “confess” that she had been fraudulently claiming benefits.

The court heard that Blake felt “under increasing pressure” from a former partner to carry on claiming benefits.

Alun Lewis, defending, told the court that the Trust Fund was supposed to be used to buy a home for her and her children, four of whom live with her.

“If she had just bought a home with the money - which she has now done - than she would have been able to continue to claim benefits,” Mr Lewis told the court.

“As it was, she was being paid out of the Trust Fund monthly and she accepts that she should have declared it. She has now used the Trust Fund to buy a house and is now claiming benefits legitimately.”

The court heard that Blake is paying back the £7,359.60 she had fraudulently claimed at £29.60 a week.

Blake was handed a 12-month community order with six months supervision and 40 hours unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay costs of £85.