Lavery, 29, of Birchwood Close, Birkenhead, had pleaded guilty to under-declaring her income as well as failing to declare that she was living with her partner.

Two other women - Julie Mead, 33 and Tracey Swindlehurst, 40 – were given suspended sentences of six months and ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work in the community.

Mead of Childwall Valley Road, Childwall, had pleaded guilty to falsely claiming £20,426 and Swindlehurst, of Bedford Road, Birkenhead, to falsely claiming £21,776.

Sentencing at Liverpool crown court, Justice Holloway said he had dealt with 25 cases of benefit fraud in one week.

He said the common thread running through the cases was a failure to disclose they were living with a partner.

Yesterday, he told each woman they had been “dishonest”, adding: “The basic premise with which all claims are dealt with is they are honest.”

He continued: “Many people don’t try to cheat the system, even though they are struggling to make ends meet.”

The sentencing of one other woman – Lisa Collins, of Blackrod Avenue, Speke – was adjourned until May.