Benefit Cheat Caught After Facebook Proposal Post
A man falsely claimed over £70,000 in benefits by stating he was single, but his deception was revealed when a Facebook post of his proposal surfaced.
A man who claimed more than £70,000 in Universal Credit by falsely stating he was single has been exposed by a Facebook post documenting his marriage proposal. Colin Christopher Hegarty, 58, reportedly told the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) he was alone between February 2020 and September 2025, during which time he received £70,967.89 in benefits.
Investigators discovered Hegarty's deception after a photograph of him proposing to his partner was shared on Facebook, accompanied by congratulatory messages from friends. The DWP became aware of the case in June 2025 following a referral from a member of the public, who alleged Hegarty was not accurately representing his living situation.
An investigation was launched, which included examining bank statements to identify financial connections between Hegarty and his partner. Social media evidence, including the proposal post, was also gathered and formed part of the case.
During an interview under caution, Hegarty admitted to dishonestly claiming benefits as a single person and failing to declare that his partner was living at his address, knowing this would impact his Universal Credit entitlement. He stated he believed declaring a partner would affect payments received by another non-dependent individual residing in the property. Hegarty made a full admission, telling investigators there was "no point in lying."
The DWP confirmed that the full amount of the overpayment is subject to recovery actions. Lilian Greenwood, Minister for Innovation, Fraud, and Data, commented on the case, stating, "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."
Greenwood added, "This claimant pocketed almost £71,000 by deliberately misleading the system for years but our investigators caught up with him. 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."