Benefits cheat who said he could barely walk is jailed for claiming £32,000 while working as a lorry driver Philip Carter, 66, was secretly filmed working by DWP investigators Claimed he had crippling knee pain, yet secretly worked for steel firm Carter jailed for 24 weeks and is paying back disability hand outs A lorry driver has been jailed after it was discovered he illegally claimed £32,000 in disability benefits. Philip Carter received the cash over a 12-year period while claiming he could barely walk, but undercover footage shows him carrying heavy steel. He said he had such crippling pain in his knees that it took him ten minutes to walk just 20 metres, and he needed help at all times when outdoors. The 66-year-old also claimed he had trouble getting in and out of bed and washing, needed help daily with shopping and taking the dog out, couldn't bend down to put anything in the oven and was unable to get hold a knife to cut up his food. Exposed: Benefits cheat Philip Carter received more than £32,000 in disability handouts after claiming he could barely walk, yet had been secretly working for a steel firm Surveillance: Investigators from the DWP secretly filmed Carter working at the firm, and saw him climbing on and off the back of a wagon and in and out of his cab without any problems However, he was unmasked as a fraud after Department For Work and Pensions (DWP) investigators secretly filmed working at a steel firm in Rossendale, Lancashire, climbing on and off the back of a wagon and in and out of his cab without any problems. He was seen constantly bending down to pick things up and it took him less than 10 seconds to walk the length of his lorry. Inquiries revealed Carter - an HGV driver for 40 years - had passed a Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) medical every three years in order to keep his licence. Within months of making his claim for disability benefits, he was working 39 hours a week in a 'physical job' loading and unloading plates and rods, manually or with lifting equipment. His bosses at K Steels knew nothing of any disabilities. He had even managed to get himself a Motability car courtesy of the taxpayer. At Burnley Crown Court, Carter, from Bacup, hobbled into the dock using a walking stick and admitted dishonestly failing to notify a change of circumstances to the DWP, between April 2002 and April 2012. He was jailed for 24 weeks. Part of the DWP footage was shown to Judge Beverley Lunt who said: 'A picture paints a thousand words. You persisted in these lies for 12 years. That is a very, very significant period of time. Healthy: Carter - an HGV driver for 40 years - had passed a DVLA medical every three years in order to keep his licence I accept you have had and do have health issues, but so do many people of this age and none of them actually entitled you to steal over £32,000 of taxpayers" money. There are genuinely disabled people who need that money. It was just greed on your part. The court was told Carter had been receiving Disability Living Allowance, including a high rate mobility allowance and a lower rate care allowance. After making his claim for benefits in September 2001, he had been assessed by the DWP as 'virtually unable to walk.' Prosecutor Richard Archer said when Carter made the DLA claim in 2001, he stated he had bad knees, could only walk 20 metres before he felt severe discomfort and that it took him 10 minutes to walk that far, if he clung to his wife and children. Spotted: Carter was seen constantly bending down to pick things up and it took him less than 10 seconds to walk the length of his lorry Carter also claimed that he needed someone with him seven days a week when he was outdoors, had dizzy spells, would fall or stumble three or four times a week, had problems getting in and out of bed and with washing, getting dressed and undressed and couldn't get hold of his food knife. His wife made a statement, indicating Carter got pains in his chest and legs when he walked and could not pick up his tablets. Mr Archer said: 'She said she had seen him change from an active man into a slow, tired man in the three years before the claim and he was now dependent on other people.' In April 2002, just months after Carter was assessed by the DWP, he secretly started work for the steel firm. The claim for DLA was kept under review and in May 2003, Carter completed a similar form, saying he could walk 10 to 15 metres before feeling severe discomfort, needed someone with him all the time outdoors, would fall or stumble, his asthma had got worse over the past five years and things took twice or three times as long as they used to. His wife also made a similar statement in support, saying he had was getting slower and had to be reminded to do things. In the dark: A fleet manager stated the he had never seen Carter stop to catch his breath, never seen any physical difficulties when he was working and had never seen him limp Mr Archer said Carter did not report any improvement in his condition. Had he been honest about the true extent of his mobility and care needs, no benefit at all would have been paid to him. The prosecutor said at the start of 2012, the DWP started surveillance and Carter was caught on film delivering, unstrapping, uncovering and unloading steel repeatedly. Inquiries were made with K Steels and they told the DWP he had started working for them as a HGV driver on April 15, 2002, he was contracted to work 39 hours a week and they were not aware Carter had any disability or health condition when he started work. A fleet manager stated the he had never seen the defendant stop to catch his breath, never seen any physical difficulties when he was working and had never seen him limp, using walking aids or have any support when he was walking. Mr Archer said the defendant received more than £32,000 he was not entitled to. He was interviewed by the DWP and said he had used the higher rate mobility allowance to get a car because of his walking problems. He confirmed he didn't have anybody with him at all times and claimed he didn't use a walking stick at K Steels as it would have got in the way. The prosecutor added: 'He struggled to justify why he had made these disclosures. The defendant is now making repayments out of his retirement pension and £29,891.28 is outstanding. Unaware: Bosses at K-Steels in Rossendale, Lancashire knew nothing of Carter's disabilities Employed: In April 2002, just months after Carter was assessed by the DWP, he secretly started work for the steel firm Philip Holden, mitigating, said Carter had very many health problems which had persisted throughout the time of the fraud, including osteoarthritis, asthma and sleep apnoea. 'There came a time when his condition improved to a degree,' said Mr Holden. He ought to have contacted the benefits agency. Mr Holden said Carter had been a HGV driver for over 40 years and had been a hard working, industrious taxpayer. He told the court Carter was paying back the money at the same rate he had taken it, and that as Mrs Carter also had significant health problems the couple still received assistance from the state. Mr Holden continued: 'This is a man who will almost certainly never come before any court again. I take the view that to imprison a man with all his health problems will be very difficult for him and very difficult for the state.