'I'm a sickfluencer posting videos teaching people how to claim benefits'

'I'm a sickfluencer posting videos teaching people how to claim benefits'Sara gets abuse for her content but says she is just educating peopleCommentsNewsNeil Shaw Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)08:34, 20 Apr 2026Updated 08:37, 20 Apr 2026'Sickfluencer' called cheat for teaching people how to claim benefits A 'sickfluencer' who posts videos online to help people gain disability benefits says she's accused of "hacking the system" when she's "just educating people." Sara Middleton, 47, was first diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder, aged 17.‌Over the years she has also been diagnosed with spinal issues caused by nerve compression, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, anxiety and inflammation of the chest known as costochondritis. Sara, a mum-of-one from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, started to gain a following on TikTok after posting a video 'ranting' about welfare reform last spring.‌Since then, she has become a chronic illness 'influencer', including sharing informational videos for eligible people accessing Personal Independence Payments (PIP) from the government. Sara said as a result, she has been accused of helping people "cheat, scam or hack the system" to claim undeserved benefits.‌View 3 ImagesSara Middleton, 47But she argues that its "not possible to scam the system" because you need to provide medical evidence. Sara says she is just educating people that are genuinely entitled to support on how to communicate their circumstances and needs - and that trolls "don't understand the system".She has a video about the 'two big mistakes people make that cause them to fail their PIP review' which has over 229,300 views. And over 96,000 views on a video about what to do when you need to report a change of circumstances, to avoid losing your PIP support.‌Sara, a motor finance administrator who also accesses £749 per mont...