A CEREDIGION man claimed over £5,600 in benefits he wasn’t entitled to after failing to declare he had income from two occupational pensions.

Michael Peter Hibbert, of 53 Penbryn, Lampeter, admitted two charges of dishonestly making false statements to obtain benefit. He said that he had forgotten one of the pensions as it was “peanuts” and that he didn’t think he needed to declare his pension from the Navy.

Rhian Jones, prosecuting, said Hibbert had made an initial claim in September 2013 by phone and had not declared the pensions, and had then filled in a form in September 2014 and again failed to disclose the income from the pensions.

Ms Jones said Hibbert, 63, had been paid a total of £5,676 that he was not entitled to because he had failed to provide the information about his pension income.

One of the pensions was from his career in the Navy, while there was another occupational pension from a private company that was also not declared.

Hibbert told investigators that he had “totally forgotten” the private pension, insisting that it was “peanuts”, while he said that he had “earned” his military pension and shouldn’t have had to disclose it.

He insisted that the Department for Work and Pensions knew about the military pension as they had been informed by HMRC, but Ms Jones said that was not the case.

Defence solicitor Janem Jones said Hibbert is no longer receiving any benefits so repayments had not yet begun, but said Hibbert realised he would have to pay the money back.

She said he suffers from PTSD from his time in the forces and has hearing problems and that he had not deliberately made any attempt to conceal the pension incomes.

Ms Jones said Hibbert had not properly heard during the phone call and had then forgotten about the private pension, while assuming the authorities were aware of his Navy pension.

Having to repay the overpayment was a punishment for Hibbert as it would take him time to be able to find the money, the court heard.

Hibbert was fined £200, ordered to pay costs of £115, and will also have to repay the £5,676 to the DWP.