A married couple who fraudulently claimed over £52,000 in benefits by pretending to be single were caught out after posting loved-up holiday photos on social media.
Alan Forsythe, 37, and wife Jemma, 36, spun a three-year web of lies to the Department for Work and Pensions while living together as a family in Blackpool. Preston Crown Court heard the pair claimed they were single parents despite sharing a home with their four children.
Between 2019 and 2023, the couple fraudulently obtained £52,190.18 in Universal Credit and other benefits. Their deception unravelled when DWP investigators spotted social media posts showing them together on a family holiday.
Social Media Downfall
The couple’s undoing came through their own vanity on social media platforms. Holiday photographs clearly showed the pair together as a couple, contradicting their claims to be living separately as single parents.
DWP fraud investigators launched a probe after noticing the incriminating images online. The investigation expanded to include detailed examination of the couple’s bank statements and financial records.
Both Alan and Jemma were subsequently called for interviews at the Jobcentre. Despite the mounting evidence against them, they continued to maintain the lie that they were not together.
Years of Deception
Alan Forsythe began his fraudulent claims in February 2019, telling the DWP he was living alone. He initially closed this claim in October 2019 but resumed the deception in January 2022.
This time he claimed to be a single father with a child living with him. Through these false declarations, he fraudulently obtained £3,182.27 in benefits he was not entitled to receive.
Jemma’s fraud was far more substantial. Using her maiden name, she submitted a claim in June 2020 stating she was a single parent living alone with her four children.
Hidden Partner
Throughout the fraud period, Jemma failed to declare that Alan was living at the family home and working full time. This omission allowed her to claim benefits meant for single parents struggling financially.
The mother continued her deception until June 2023, fraudulently claiming a total of £49,007.91. Both parents had signed official declarations confirming the information they provided was accurate.
They also pledged to inform the DWP of any changes in their circumstances – a commitment they deliberately ignored throughout their three-year fraud.
Investigation Uncovers Truth
The DWP’s investigation revealed the couple had been presenting themselves as married on social media throughout the period they claimed to be single. Bank statements and other financial records confirmed they were living as a family unit.
Faced with overwhelming evidence, the pair eventually admitted their guilt and pleaded guilty to fraud charges. Their case highlights how social media posts can provide crucial evidence in benefit fraud investigations.
DWP investigators have extensive powers to gather evidence, including monitoring social media accounts for location check-ins, photographs and other information that contradicts benefit claims.
Different Sentences
Sentencing the pair, Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi acknowledged their joint involvement in the sophisticated fraud. “You were both involved in providing false information to the DWP which affected the benefits you were entitled to,” she stated.
Alan Forsythe received an additional 15 weeks in jail on top of his current sentence. He is already serving four years for a brutal attack in Blackpool that left a man with life-changing injuries.
Jemma Forsythe avoided immediate custody, receiving a suspended sentence instead. The court took into account her role as primary carer for the couple’s four children in deciding against imprisonment.
Violent Past
Alan Forsythe’s criminal history includes the vicious assault for which he is currently imprisoned. In June 2024, he and accomplice Patrick Joyce attacked a man in his 50s in Blackpool town centre.
Forsythe punched the victim before kicking him in the head as he lay on the ground. The assault left the man with life-altering head injuries requiring emergency treatment.
CCTV footage showed Forsythe calmly walking back to his hotel after the attack while his victim received life-saving treatment. He was sentenced to four years and nine months for causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Growing Problem
Benefit fraud costs the UK taxpayer billions annually, with the DWP estimating £6.3 billion was lost to welfare fraud in recent years. The department has invested £900 million in anti-fraud measures over three years.
New specialist teams review millions of Universal Credit claims, particularly those deemed high-risk or suspicious. Social media monitoring has become a crucial tool in identifying fraudulent claims.
The most common form of benefit fraud involves people claiming unemployment benefits while working. Another frequent deception is individuals claiming to live alone while being financially supported by a partner.
Warning to Others
The Forsythe case serves as a stark warning about the consequences of benefit fraud. DWP investigators can gather evidence through various means including surveillance, interviews and document tracing.
Fraud can include deliberately failing to report changes in circumstances, such as a partner moving in or changes in employment status. Even unintentional failures to update information can be treated as fraud by omission.
The couple’s downfall through social media posts highlights how digital footprints can expose benefit cheats. Their case demonstrates that fraudsters leave trails that investigators can follow to uncover the truth.
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