Yes it's the DM, yes it's about a large family on benefits, but surely even if only half of it is true it's shocking!

[StrawberriesAndCherries]

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265508/Peter-Davey-gets-42-000-benefits-year-drives-Mercedes.html

Are they wrong to get what they are entitled to?

42K a year though - I must be going wrong somewhere!!!

I'm sure plenty of people begrudge them that.

I don't understand how they decided they were better off on benefits 9 years ago - so when they only had 2 children and no DLA etc because that child wasn't born yet? All seems a bit odd. Personally I wouldn't want to try and run a family this size on that money. They obviously can't manage it either judging by the size of their debts. I think this whole article needs to be taken with a massive pinch of salt.

And they keep having children they know they can't afford.

It's almost a spoof, I caught myself wondering if it was April Fools Day.

I don't begrudge the disability payments (the little boy looks as if he may have EB?)(but am that your DD gets no more than him, riven)

The problem for me is the way they are choosing to live on benefits, see nothing wrong with it, & intend to go on having more children, in which case the prospect of either of them ever working becomes less & less likely

Those figures are so misleading though. £400 a week income support?? ANd council tax benefit isn't actually something you even recieve
Silly people though, I have a friend who is turning out just like this and it makes me so sad. She is 24, has 4 kids, never worked a day in her life and as far as I can tell never will. She is already planning her fifth

But clearly "they" can afford them!

Ie We.

Surely if they choose to have a merc as a disability vehicle (and btw how does a skin condition make a person unable to walk ), they'll be topping it up from their other income.

Something doesn't add up here.

Am guessing they conceived their youngest daughter in their car?

I thought that too NL but I suppose it wdepends on how low his wage was then.

Is that full HB then, maybe they pay a bit towards rent but where I live that's about average for a HA rent per week.

£439 a week to life on for 10? I think that's enough.
What they need is some contraceptive.

it appears they sold their story to Closer magazine according to the Telegraph

The DM picked the article up from Closer mag which often runs stuff on disfunctional families.
I will probably get flamed for saying they are disfunctional but they want 14 children. Why would anyone who clearly can't afford it keep having children and expecting the tax payer to fund them.
It does annoy me. Lots of people would like to add to their families but can't afford it.
If they get their wish how on earth can they give quality care and time to 14 children.
I think they are bloody irresponsible.

I don't understand - she says 'If I could work, I would' but why can't she? Surely that sentence should read, 'If I could be arsed to get off my backside and look for a job, I would.'

People with attitudes like this drive me up the wall, they really do. I hate this arrogant, egocentric sense of entitlement that implies the world owes them something just because they have graced it with their presence.

I do think our benefits system is fundamentally hugely flawed.

wheres their CTC amounts? Income support £400?? I don't think so as they only pay for adults now, not kids

I realise it's unpopular (especially on mumsnet!) and I will no doubt get slaughtered for this, but I think the system needs to change.

I think the benefits system is vital, it's an invaluable safety net but it is very open to abuse.

I think that you should receive money for however many children you already have when you first apply and if you then have a subsequent child you should receive extra money, but there should come a point where the money you receive does not increase.

So if you are on benefits with 2 children and you go on to have a third, fair enough, but if you go on to have a forth and a fifth and a sixth and a seventh... then you do it on no more money.

Because benefits exist to help you when you find yourself in a situation where you need help, until you can get back on your feet and pay your own way in the world, unless you are a vulnerable person who needs the support for life.

I get a lot of money becuase i have two disabled children one of whom is gets the highest level and enables me to get carers allowance - really when you take off the hb and ctb it's not really that much

they are just getting what they are entitled to - typical dm shite again