A SINGLE mum cheated the benefits system out of more than £2,000 after she claimed cash while she was working.

Karen Jury claimed £2,146 in income support and council and housing benefits over two years because she was too "hard-up" to pay to look after her children herself, a court heard.

She was working at four different jobs during the time she was claiming benefits between June 2004 and August 2006.

Jury, aged 42, of Woodman's Green, Droitwich, will now be made to do 50 hours of unpaid work as a punishment.

She admitted eight separate charges of failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions of a change of circumstances which would have affected her benefits when she appeared before magistrates in Worcester.

Four of the charges were connected to income support and four to housing and council tax benefit.

Ruth Edwards, agent prosecutor for the Department for Work and Pensions, said: "She claimed on the basis she was a lone parent with no savings and no further source of income. She also claimed housing and council tax benefit.

"She submitted the usual claim forms and claimed they were correct. She did not declare her change of circumstances because she knew that if she did her benefits would be affected and she needed the extra money to care for her children."

Jury is now still in receipt of working tax credit of £81.60 per week and child credit of £43.70 per week and is working at a nursing home, taking home £100 a week.

Paul Stanley, defending, said Jury was supporting two children, aged 18 and 15, on her own and had already paid between £400 and £500 of the benefits back.

He added: "She has never been in any trouble before and she pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. The unfortunate background is financial.

"Her children were both at school at the time and she couldn't cope. She's extremely remorseful for what she has done. She has no excuse accept that she was financially hard-up."

Magistrates gave her a 12-month supervision order which will run concurrently for each of the eight charges.

Jury will also be made to complete 50 hours of unpaid work for the benefit of the community and pay £75 court costs within 28 days.