Nathan Wood, 58, of Beacon Road in Bradford, has been jailed for 16 months after claiming he could not walk unaided and needed a walking frame or wheelchair to fraudulently receive more than £53,800 in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) disability benefits over nine years. Bradford Crown Court heard on Thursday, 8 October that Wood significantly exaggerated his rheumatoid arthritis condition, stating he was incapable of walking beyond 50 metres.
Fraudulent claims and covert surveillance
While operating and managing his vehicle repair enterprise, Wood maintained in 2018 that he needed a walking aid. Two years later, he asserted he was confined to a wheelchair and unable to work or drive. His co-accused, Laura Clayton, 40, of Eaglesfield Drive, Bradford, presented herself as Wood's carer and claimed she "saw him in pain every day." Clayton even served as his representative during an appeal challenging the withdrawal of his benefits.
Wood's deception was exposed after covert surveillance footage captured him working and ferrying colleagues around in his work van. In August 2023, he was caught on camera driving a van to a sports centre, strolling through the car park before heading into the swimming pool.
Cruise photos and social media posts
In August this year, Wood shared photographs on his Facebook page, accompanied by a caption wishing his wife a happy birthday. The images depict the couple enjoying what appears to be a lavish cruise holiday, with Wood dressed in a series of glittering jackets as he poses at the bow of the vessel and along the "royal promenade."
In a separate post, he captioned a photograph of himself alongside his three children with a reference to what appears to be a pyramid scheme. Wood wrote: "Tomorrow, most people will drag themselves back to their 9-5 jobs, dreading the routine and craving more freedom. If that's you - I get it. But what if I told you there's a way to build a life-having business model instead of a life-draining one? Something that gives you time, flexibility and purpose - not just a pay check. I've got the blueprint."
Court sentencing and DWP response
Lauren Smith, who represented both Wood and Clayton, informed the court that Wood had received his rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis in 2014 but had "overstated the severity of the symptoms" on his PIP claim. She stated that both defendants had expressed their "deep remorse" and offered no justification for what had taken place. Smith noted there was no indication that Clayton had received "a cut" for her involvement in the offending.
She advised Recorder Taryn Turner that Wood, who had been receiving benefit payments of up to £450 a month, was now repaying £65 a month under an agreed repayment plan. The court was told that Wood had received benefit payments amounting to just over £53,800 in total.
Recorder Turner jailed Wood for 16 months and handed Clayton a five-month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months. Clayton must also complete 80 hours of unpaid work. She addressed the pair directly: "These are serious offences. Benefit fraud over a prolonged period of time undermines the integrity of the social security system. Throughout that period you represented your medical condition severely restricted your mobility and daily functioning. This was not an isolated act of dishonesty. It was a sustained fraud maintained over many years and involving repeated false representations to preserve your entitlement to benefits."
Following the sentencing, a DWP spokesperson commented: "Benefit fraud is not a victimless crime. Every pound stolen is money that should be supporting those who genuinely need help and funding our public services. The message is simple, if you cheat the benefits system, you will be found, you will have to pay the money back, and you could face prosecution. And if you know someone defrauding the system, please report it."
