A British benefit cheat in Spain has been told she must repay £45,000 or spend nine months in prison.
Vivienne Day, 70, from Basildon in Essex was given three months in which to return the money.
For eight years she had been claiming housing benefit, council tax benefit, Disability Living Allowance and Pension Credit.
But she failed to advise the Department for Work and Pensions that she had moved to Murcia in Spain. She also did not disclose her ownership of a property in Spain or her savings of £127,000.
In all she falsely claimed more than £41,000.
The truth was uncovered through the cooperative efforts of a DWP team of investigators based in Spain and the Spanish authorities.
Day was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to repay within three months the full £41,000 and £4,098 costs, or face a nine month sentence.
Anyone in receipt of UK benefits must inform their UK benefit office of changes in circumstances, including travel abroad or moving abroad.
