Tanned advantages cheat who mentioned he could not stroll snared on cruise sporting sparkly jackets

Nathan Wood told the DWP he could not walk unaided and needed a walking frame or wheelchair, but was caught posting pictures of himself on a cruise ship wearing sparkly jackets

Striking a pose against a cruise ship’s bow, his jacket and tan gleaming in the sunset, Bradford businessman Nathan Wood appeared worlds away from his benefits fraud. Wood, 58, of Beacon Road in Bradford, informed the Department of Work and Pensions that he was unable to walk without assistance in a fraudulent claim that netted him over £50,000 across nine years, Bradford Crown Court was told on Thursday, October 8.

Wildly exaggerating his rheumatoid arthritis, Wood claimed he required a walking frame or wheelchair and was incapable of walking beyond 50 metres.

Despite operating and grafting at his vehicle repair business, he insisted he needed walking assistance in 2018. Two years on, he alleged he was now confined to a wheelchair and unable to work or drive.

His co-accused Laura Clayton also masqueraded as Woods’ carer and stated she “saw him in pain every day.”, reports Yorkshire Live. Clayton, 40, of Eaglesfield Drive, Bradford, even served as his representative in an appeal against his benefits being stopped.

Woods’ web of deceit unravelled when covert surveillance footage revealed 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 and then entering the swimming pool.

But that wasn’t the only thing Woods did that exposed his lies. In August this year, he uploaded photos 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 rather lavish cruise.

Woods is seen sporting a variety of glittery jackets as he strikes poses at the ship’s bow and on the “royal promenade.” In another post, he captioned a photo of himself and his three children with a reference to what seems to be a pyramid scheme – but the words he selected reflect his own behind-the-scenes activities.

Wood penned: “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.”

Lauren Smith, representing both Wood and Clayton, informed the court that he had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2014, but had “overstated the severity of the symptoms” on his PIP [Personal Independence Payment] application. She stated that both defendants had expressed their “deep remorse” and offered no justification for their actions.

Ms Smith clarified there was no indication that Clayton had received “a cut” for her involvement in the fraud. She informed Recorder Taryn Turner that Wood, who had been claiming benefit payments of up to £450 monthly , was now repaying £65 each month through an agreed repayment scheme.

The court was told that Wood had claimed benefit payments amounting to just over £53,800 in total. Recorder Turner sentenced Wood to 16 months imprisonment and handed Clayton a five-month jail term suspended for 12 months. Clayton must also complete 80 hours of unpaid work.

She addressed the pair: “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 said: “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.”

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