What your £166k benefit a year buys single Afghan mum-of-seven

But she moans the house it too big to heat!

By James Weatherup, 11/10/2008

WELCOME to the amazing luxury world of the Afghan benefits family in the £1.2million mansion.

And we can reveal that despite having a home groaning with state of the art goodies, they are STILL moaning-because they can't afford a trip to meet Mickey Mouse.

Afghan mother-of-seven Toorpakai Saiedi already pulls in a staggering £13,901 of handouts every month in rent and living allowances, but complained: "I'd like to take the children on holiday to Disneyland Paris but I can't afford it."

Saiedi, 35, insisted she is even too broke to have satellite TV and pay water and gas bills because the huge seven-bedroom detached house laid on by taxpayers in Acton, west London, costs too much to heat and run.

Yet wandering through her home is like stepping into a glossy Argos catalogue of must-have gadgets and furnishings:

CENTREPIECE of the spacious lounge is the family's pride and joy-an incredible 50-inch flatscreen PLASMA TELEVISION worth £1,500 which dominates the room. Quizzed on how they could possibly afford the TV, 20-year-old son Jawad-who has never worked-claimed: "I got it cheap off a friend a year or so ago."

HOOKED up to the set is a £180 NINTENDO Wii console complete with extra games costing £40 each.

SCATTERED around are a dozen beautifully-made SILK CUSHIONS so the kids can watch the latest cartoons in comfort.

Luxury

ANOTHER smaller TV is sited in the second reception room-with a £300 PLAYSTATION 3 connected to it. Lying nearby are five more games, also around £40 each.

OTHER games dotted around the house match a handheld NINTENDO DS which retails for about £100.

JAWAD has TWO MOBILE PHONES including a sought after iPHONE, priced £500 new. Although they can be had as an upgrade phone for £100, users still have to pay a £35-a-month contract.

THEN there are the two LAPTOP COMPUTERS worth at least £350 each.

STYLISH WOODEN FLOORS are covered in red PERSIAN-STYLE RUGS and every room has a vase of fresh cut flowers.

But as controversy raged about Ealing Council and Britain's taxpayers keeping the family in the lap of luxury to the tune of a breathtaking annual total of £166,812, single mum Saiedi complained how she can't afford to shop at supermarket giant Tesco and has to rely on cut-price stores like Lidl and Netto.

"I spend £150 a week on food and my kids tell me when there are two-for-one offers at the shops," she told us. "But by the end of the week there is no money left. It's a big house and costs a lot to run. It's difficult making it all work. And we don't have Sky TV."

Jawad, wearing a Tommy Hilfiger designer shirt and acting as interpreter for his mother, moaned that the property was much smaller than the massive house they used to have in Afghanistan.

He said: "Our house there was huge compared to this one. We laugh at this house and would give this space to chickens to walk around in a cage."

The upmarket doublefronted house boasts two reception rooms, two fitted kitchens, a breakfast room, seven double bedrooms and three shower rooms spread over three floors. Saiedi, who has three girls and four boys aged eight to 22 and has split from their father Haji, sat barefoot on one of the two luxurious leather sofas, matched by four armchairs, in her front room as she explained the family finances. The regal-looking suite came with the fully refurbished house, as did all the fixtures and fittings.

In the basement there is even a huge safe, left behind by the last occupants.

Saiedi, who received no payment for this interview, claimed she would like to get a job but said her life was just too busy taking the children to and from school and shopping to feed her family. She also attends English classes three days a week. She said: "One day my boys will get good jobs and they will be able to sort out my debts." She confessed she has clocked up debts on a CREDIT CARD-granted by a bank despite the fact she has NO JOB -but refused to say how much. She admitted there is an outstanding water bill from two months ago of £530.

Benefit

"I can't afford to pay it," she said. "The interest rate on the credit card is also very high. We used to have a small car, a 10-year-old Nissan Almera, but we had to sell it because we needed the money."

Saiedi explained that she receives £213 a week in child tax credit, £60 in child benefit plus £60 income support. But the family's biggest handout coup is their massive £12,458 a month rent, paid direct by the council to landlord Ajit Panesar.

He bought the property in March for £1.2 million. Yet if Ealing Council had got a mortgage to buy the house themselves the cost would only be about £8,100 a month.

Instead they must cough up the full amount to which Mr Panesar is legally entitled under the discredited Local Housing Allowance Scheme.

Furious Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell has launched an urgent inquiry and vowed to close any loopholes. And Ealing Council has already sacked three officers involved in rehousing the family.

Back in Afghanistan, Saiedi's husband was in business supplying the government army. He fled the Taliban and won political asylum here in 2001, followed by his family.

They first lived in a four-bed house in Enfield but as the children got older they were rehoused 2 years ago in a five-bed property up the road in Ealing. Ten weeks ago they landed the mansion.

Saiedi, smartly dressed in polka-dot skirt and top, white jacket and black headscarf, admitted they had landed on their feet. "Life is very good," she said, "I would say we're lucky-maybe it's destiny."

Destiny

She added: "I know some people are a bit jealous of us. But I am very shocked at the rent-it's too much.

"It's a good house but not that good. I thought it was a joke when we found out how much the landlord was getting. We didn't make the deal or anything. The council offered us the house. They said go round and see it and if you like it, you can move in."

But Saiedi evaded questions about her estranged husband, and whether he was employed or helping them with finances.

Son Jawad denied his dad was working as a taxi driver but added: "We don't see very much of him-I think he was working but only for a short time." Jawad added that he has applied for a place at business college. One of his brothers, Nasir, 22, is already at Kent University and Fawad, 18, attends college.

But then, whispering so his mother couldn't hear, Jawad boasted of a terrifying secret sideline funded from the family benefits-illegal late-night street racing in souped-up cars.

"I have unofficial sponsors and they bet on me," he said. "I've raced in the back streets of Kings Cross and on the motorways.

"I love the driving and I don't make much money from it-I do it more for fun." He bragged he recently sold a black Mazda sports car on the internet for £6,000 and has other motors hidden away. "They're not here, I don't want people to see me in them," he added.

Not surprisingly his mum insists the family will NEVER return to their homeland. "This is better here," she told us. "My children all go to school and it's very good. They are learning things. If you come here with nothing the authorities will support you.

"We just had the clothes we arrived in. No money, no nothing. We are grateful to the British."

Last night the owner of the family's home insisted HE did not set the massive rent. Mr Panesar said: "I was told by Ealing Council that's what I was going to get. They advertise for properties and I rang them. They came along and said this will be the rent. I just said OK."

Your comments

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What a joke, I have been working for the last 20 years, paying taxes and have only once asked for help which was refused as the officials said I was earning too much, I was was earning £4.08 per hour for a 40 hour week job, yes this was over ten years ago, but as a single male, there was no help available to me.

Wish I could afford to have all the luxuries these people have.

This country is a complete joke now, and the sooner I leave the better.

By Darren.. Posted January 25 2010 at 2:01 PM.

Well I'm a scrounger I will own up to it, I'm also Paraplegic oh yes but if given a job with help I would be willing and able to do, sadly cuts in funding means now the government are unable to get me into work.

I get £125 a week in benefits mainly through working for most of my life and paying my full NI stamp, an accident at work took away my legs and part of my spine.

But benefits are a safety net , you lot say this Lady gets all these things, I bought my grandson a PS3 this year it cost me £100 all the games he has are second hand and cost me between £10 and £12 I bought my other kids a Wii second hand of course it cost me £56 from a local news paper. I bough my flat screen TV from the local adds that cost me £60 because people have things in the house does not mean they pay for then full price, I bought a new settee this year after being married for 40 years, in the past I bought second hand ones.

By Robert.. Posted January 10 2010 at 12:04 PM.

my husband lost his business through this recession and the benefits have made me and my family of 2 children wait 39 weeks before they will even concider helping us with our housng costs i certnly cant afford holidays my children wont be getting presents for xmas this year as i have a £405 a month mortgage to pay evry month on top of blls nd evrything else its disgracefull why is this great britain when britts dont get a chance anymore

By mr&mrs kirkland.. Posted November 30 2009 at 10:55 PM.

NO ONE IS LISTENING, THE GOVERNMENT CERTAINLY ARE NOT, THEY JUST CLOSE THEIR EYES & HOPE IT WILL ALL GO AWAY WHICH IT WILL NOT, ONE DAY IT WILL ALL BLOW UP IN THEIR FACE, ENOCH POWEL WAS CORRECT IN HIS PREDICTION. FACE UP TO THE PROBLEM & DEAL WITH IT.

By Bigtel.. Posted November 30 2009 at 6:54 PM.

Send every single one of them back

By j.. Posted November 5 2009 at 7:24 PM.

Hello. Never be a cynic, even a gentle one. Never help out a sneer, even at the devil.
I am from Turkmenistan and , too, and now am writing in English, give true I wrote the following sentence: "Make sure that you are dealing with a reputable merchant."

Thank you very much :o. Tisha.

By Tisha.. Posted June 22 2009 at 2:09 PM.

i am a single parent to one son i been working since he was 2 year old now i got two jobs i pay tax out of both jobs i live with my mum we dont get any help to pay how rent but get tax credit it not far she get help people live in this coutry dont get help make you mad that she can get help i wish i can get a big house.

By miss geraldine kelleher.. Posted June 9 2009 at 9:26 PM.

Welcome to England, where you dont need to worry about the English folk. Just sit back in your free mansion, enjoy your nintendo wii game on your 50" tv and pull up a silk covered leather chair while we send our English waiters to come and serve your every needs. And dont even worry about the bill, the taxpayer covers that. WAKE UP ENGLAND !!!

By Dan Bridgey.. Posted March 14 2009 at 10:29 AM.

i think it is disgusting my rent is 65pounds a week i am on incapacity and am disabled so i pay 25pounds a week towards my rent and 10pounds towards council tax so that leaves me 30pounds to run a house so what is that family moaning about let them swap for a week and see how they manage

By sonya tyne&wear.. Posted January 24 2009 at 10:52 PM.

England is the dustbin of the world. No wonder the country is in such a state!

By D. Hudson.. Posted December 28 2008 at 1:40 PM.

i will put £1000 bet that she has not split up with her husband, thats what all immigrants do, they split up so that each partner can get a separate council house, and rent one out to illegal immigrants, i know this because i used to pay only £20 a week for a room at a similar house. i know its wrong but i was desperate as i had lost my job. these people do this all the time, the son works as a cab driver, they all do or have cash in hand job. we have wasted this country. iam so angry.

By danny.. Posted December 26 2008 at 1:50 AM.

mark Scott

stop making ridicolous comments and start talking sense! no wonder this country is in such a state, we take people from every country and expect all us taxpayers to support them

get a grip and pay for it yourself.

By jo.. Posted December 1 2008 at 1:13 PM.

Put yourselves in their shoes, if this country was completely buggered up by war and you could get to an island where you would be given a lovely house and a living wage for nothing, wouln't you not jump at the chance?

Stop complaining about your own lot and get on with it. Idiots and hypocrites the lot of you.

By Mark Scott.. Posted November 30 2008 at 9:00 PM.

Earlier this year I had a Heart Attack, After paying National Insurance and Income Tax in this country for over 45yrs. I am only getting £75 per week to cover all my outgoings. I get no help with my mortgage, council tax or any other benefits. I have a 19 year old son in full-time education and a wife who works only part time!!

By Ian Sargeantson.. Posted November 30 2008 at 6:18 PM.

By Ian Sargeantson.. Posted November 30 2008 at 6:02 PM.

i am so angry that people from another country can come and live here and make that sort of money for doing nothing it is discusting, i work 40 hours a week and dont even make close to half that,
why the hell do they get away with it? please tell me how this woman has got away with this

By matthew harvey.. Posted November 30 2008 at 4:44 PM.

i can see why they are liveing in the uk anyway and why should we help them if they dont like it tell them to go back home and why should we the tax payer pay for them to stay in that house so can this so called govermeny tell why they should used our tax to keep people like them when there are people out trying there best to keep there house this country is a joke we all like to live in a house like that but we cant so why should we pay for them to

By gary jones .. Posted November 30 2008 at 3:19 PM.

I am out of the UK over in Australia at the moment. If I come back to the UK I would not get a bean from the state even after paying tax for 26 years but they give all this to immigrants. I would not get a B & B to stay in with my wife and kids if I came back. This is why I left the UK as they do not look after there own.

By C D Smith.. Posted November 30 2008 at 3:53 AM.

i think that there scrounging gets and were paying for her and her 7 kids to live there they need to get a life and get a job and go bk 2 there own home if its much betta i hate people like this and the council all need 2 be shot !!!!!

By jennie clarke.. Posted November 29 2008 at 11:22 PM.

HOW CAN THEY CLAIM ALL THIS.MY HUSBAND OFF WORK ,WE CLAIM THE RENT AND BENEFITS BUT THE RENT IS 200 POUND SHORT OF WHAT WE PAY (590 A MONTH )SO THE BENEFIT WE GET TO LIVE ON DOES NOT EVEN MAKE UP THE SHOTRT FALL. so money for water etc does not get paid as we don t have it .. If they get all what it says they can tell me how they do it ...............from someone going into debt

By carol.. Posted November 26 2008 at 9:47 AM.

Where are the facts. This artical smacks of inciting racial hatred. Do not believe all that you read. Put yourself in someone elses shoes, imagine going to a different country, where your language is not spoken and then being lied about in the popular press. You would have no chance, everyone has made up their mind that you are a scrouncer taking their hard earned taxes. I thought we lived in a fair society, but with this dispicable lieing and scare mongoring how can ant decent human being have a chance, WE ALL LIVE UNDER THE SAME SKY!

By susan fynn.. Posted November 26 2008 at 12:54 AM.

Perhaps the good hard working people of Britain should tune into Jeremy Kyle and just see what we have bred. Our taxes are being paid out in benefits to a work shy toothless generation who have kids all over the place and don't pay a penny in maintenence! What does it say in the bible 'take the log out of your own eye before you take the speck out of mine'

This is total properganda and it is inciting racial hatred. Shame on you for believing it!

By suzanne.. Posted November 26 2008 at 1:06 AM.

IM LOST FOR WORDS !!!
WHILE WE ARE TAXED TO DEATH
THESE SCROUNGERS ARE LIVING THE
LIFE OF LUXURY.
FOR CHRISTS SAKE WAKE UP LABOUR
AND SMELL THE COFFEE AND LOOK AFTER
YOUR OWN PEOPLE !!!

By nelly.. Posted November 25 2008 at 10:53 PM.

It's very unfair for the council not to provide the family with a luxury sedan and a handsome muslim bedmate for Ms Toorpakai Saiedi.

By Zion.. Posted November 25 2008 at 8:50 PM.

The problem here is the system - And immigrants know how to play it, Yes most of the kids are old enough to move out but the rarely do,the all stay in the same address - I, like most on here have never claimed benefits since i left school 20 years ago and it sickens me that tax we have all paid over the years goes towards things like this...12k a month rent that cant be right surely??

By Lee .. Posted November 25 2008 at 3:41 PM.

I'm shocked ! What kind of *******

By Giavaroto.. Posted November 25 2008 at 12:55 AM.

I am 25yrs old and Iranian female. I moved here with Family since 1994.

Ever since teenager i have been working and paying tax and all our expenses along side the rest of my family. I am not English but work hard and refuse to use any type of benefits. But it makes me angry to see the money i can save and spend on my future is been used on others to live in luxurious life styles, where four of us have to share two bedrooms and we all work and still struggle. I pay over £1000 tax each month!!! i go to work 6.30 am and get home 9p??? Why should they live on my hard work?

Is just not fair! Our NHS and education still needs extra funding.

Is just Not fair!!!!

By N>A.. Posted November 24 2008 at 5:04 PM.

i cant believe what i just read.......i wont believe it....its got to be a joke, im watching people around me struggle and they boast about the things they are given...The cheek to say say they would let chickens walk around in that size house back home is a kick in the teeth to tax payers...they should of been kicked out as a result of their ungratefulness...and put in a three bed house as same sex children can share....FUTHER MORE SHE SHOULD OF KEPT HER LEGS CLOSED!!!!!! This is gettting me angry just thinking about what i just read..... This is a joke, they get it handed on a plate whilst BRITISH CITEZENS must wait for years b4 even being considered a place.... Things need to change quickly, this is ridiculous!!!

By Janine.. Posted November 24 2008 at 11:24 AM.

This is so frustrating. I have been paying tax for 20 years my Girlfriend moved in with me in August (increased council tax)and has recently lost her job. How much does she get nothing not a penny. She cant claim due to not enough National Insurance contributions yet she was at full time college and did not earn anything for this to be paid. Once all the Mortgage and bills are paid I have about £50 a week for food and petrol to get to work and pay more tax to the scroungers. Thats what you get for being honest. I could of said we were not a couple and rented the room they would of paid me rent and her JSA (income related) we would of been over £100 a week better off. I wonder what they will get for Christmas, im getting nothing unless her luck changes.

By Russell.. Posted November 24 2008 at 12:27 AM.

Send her and the kids back to Afghanistan. and then watch her complain. I hate these types of people and the government morons that provide this stuff at our expense. time for a revolution!

By Dave Allen.. Posted November 23 2008 at 8:34 PM.

How can this EVER be fair? How can a home that big be called too small?!! How ungrateful!!!
If they saw my flat they would have something to complain about...
Just like Steve said, Labour has a LOT to answer for!! What this pathetic government needs to do is pull it's finger out, stop being so bloody PC all the time and demand that immigrants to this country work for at LEAST 2 years before being offered any kind of benefits - my grandparents and parents are immigrants to this country and have worked all their lives - there is no excuse for this kind of scrounging in my opinion. You shouldn't be allowed in if you are not willing to give anything back.
If this beautiful home is not up to your picky standards (the cheek of it!) , leave and let a family who will appreciate it have it...
This has made be so angry - roll on the next general election!!!

By Keira.. Posted November 23 2008 at 3:19 PM.

Labour have so much to answer for! I am speechless that a white working class man who has worked all his life in this country has a lower standard of living than these freeloaders!

By steve tea.. Posted November 23 2008 at 2:41 PM.

I am LGV driver presently working on temp. job because of these credit crunch and earning £270pw after tax and if i am looking these peoples i think i am idiot!!!!!!!!1

By Gaganjit Brar.. Posted November 23 2008 at 2:34 PM.

speechless!!!!!

By arlene.. Posted November 23 2008 at 11:26 AM.

their rent is more than i earn a year and i work full time! i still manage to pay my mortgage and bills! get a job or go back to your country! This makes me so angry, this country is a joke!!!!

By bex.. Posted November 23 2008 at 10:12 AM.

Well there not gona turn it down are they?? I dont blame them its the stupid system that allows this to happen.

By Johnny, London.. Posted November 23 2008 at 5:14 AM.

P.S.

Mr Brown best sort the country out soon, or we will all be in the BROWN stuff

By Rob.. Posted November 22 2008 at 11:56 AM.

I have read every single comment on this page and still cant believe that they are still living there. Obviously Brown and his stouges havent got their finger on the pulse of this once great country of ours. Perhaps we should all stop paying our taxes then see what happens, but most of us are too proud to to that as its the wrong thing to do.

I feel the money would be better spent giving our hero servicemen and women better care for injuries and stress of combat.

Mr BROWN are you listening, sort this out or you wont be in power much longer, at least you lost my vote in the next election.

By Rob.. Posted November 22 2008 at 10:09 AM.

what??is that true i just read??i mean come on if they had better condintion in there why just dint stay there??i mean i can stay in another money as well but no i go and work 12 hours per day,4-5 days from 7 for i can win at least 1000 per month...and yes i pay my tax every single month and i'm not complaing at all because i'm just happy with what i have in here and for we dont forget my country (Romania)is not in a such **** condition like Afganistan ....and if they had in there country a bigger house whit better condition why the **** they came here???i mean who gone help me when i need??and in the 1st place a english person dont have some many helps like this arabic people who put bombs and war in all the world...and for we dont forget are such a great liers and actors...i know i work with few of them and i can see how we work and they just sit and get the same or more money then us.

By Maria.. Posted November 20 2008 at 7:40 PM.

Yep I really do enjoy hearing about people like this living the life of luxury at our expense. Its really good to hear, so lets all chip in and pay for her and her family to go to disney world shall we oh and throw her in some extra cash to pay for her gas bills too. After all that family have probably never paid taxes in this country but get free money from good ole government (well us really) wayhey. Think all us hard workers out there are doing something wrong here. Think I'll give up my job and see if I can live like that ooh no it doesn't seem to work like that now does it.

By Mickey mouse.. Posted November 20 2008 at 3:02 PM.

How ridiculous is this?!
I find it unbearable that there are so many scroungers in this Country anyway.

So many people have children as a way of getting a free place to live, benefits, and an easy life. But the pot is running dry! Sooner or later, the benefits will have to come to an end and they'll have to get off their lazy arses and get a job! I am at Uni and have 2 jobs. I pay tax for people like this! What would the Government do if everyone packed in their jobs and decided to claim benefits, and the nice council houses that get re-done every 6 months. This country needs sorting out and FAST.

By Kirstie.. Posted November 20 2008 at 1:30 AM.

Oh dear look at this and I help pay taxes for people like this to live in luxury but we do have people living on the streets in cardboard boxes (mostly self inflicted because of drugs) That's not the point in my opinion this is absolutely disgusting and i'm really not suprised people cheat the benefit system. Bless her though she wants us to pay for her and her family to go see Mickey mouse something that most people can't afford to do even though they work hard all year and would only ever dream of. What is this country coming to? Maybe I should try get someone to pay for a holiday for me to see our Mickey because me deserves it. (Yeh right)

By Sam.. Posted November 19 2008 at 9:39 PM.

many people are on benefit's. I think that if you do not have a serious medical problem which is prventing you from work you should be made to work. You should be able to go on benefit for a maximum of 8 weeks. In that 8 weeks you have to find employment. This is infact our government that allow this sort of thing to happen all over the UK.
If we are all in the credit crunch and there is a problem with the econmic's in this country maybe this family's council could look for a cheaper and more simple accomodation for them. This will cut down their bills and also the government's.
I was given my flat from the council, but I pay my own rent work full time. Yes we are all entitled to a helping hand whether you are a brit or not. My flat was not furnished that I got from my council. There was no carpet's, but hey they provided me with a tumble dryer for drying facilities (although not a washing machine ha ha).
This is the reason our country is in so much trouble.
I don't like how this family is getting blaimed, if you was offered all this by the council for free would you take it ? I know I would. It is the council's fault for making it easy. If I stayed at home and didn't work I would be better off staying at home than I am working. I earn more money. Maybe what is needed is that the National Minimum wage be raised higher so that people aren't working for peanut's and that we are better off working??

By sian.. Posted November 19 2008 at 1:09 PM.

Get a grip! They are just getting what they are entitled to, the same as the thousands of British people where I live (Cardiff) living off Benefits. At least the children are going to school and University and trying to better themselves. I am not generealising but when I see all the teenage single mums, obese grandmothers and hoodie anaemic-looking chavs with 4 or 5 kids I also feel like leaving this country. I came to Wales 10 years ago as a student and thanks to my hard work I have to pay £1,500 a month on childcare to keep working and pay 40% tax on my income to support not only Afghan families but also thousands of British born and bread too lazy to get a job and passing on this laziness to the next generation. We need to get rid of this benefit culture where staying at home getting benefits pays more than having an honest job!

By Maria.. Posted November 16 2008 at 3:10 PM.

the answer to this is simple everybody go self employed and pay NO tax you can keep your same jobs just tell your employer you want to go self emplyed it will save them the job of doing your tax and ni contributions anyway you can pay your own ni and tell them were to go with the tax until they leaarn how to spend it.
tax the british for the british and no-one else it stinks

By shay.. Posted November 16 2008 at 2:54 PM.

i have been living in private rented housing for the past 3 years we have had no hot running water no gas checks and i have had to replace fires plastering fix water leeks the list goes on ...yet the council will not help me nor the local mp who i have wrote to several times. my partner is on a low income and we have 2 children. is that that we are british that we stand no chance of having OUR country help us?

By shell.. Posted November 16 2008 at 10:51 AM.

what a bloody joke! i have 3 children under the age of 5 i cant afford to go to work and put them in childcare because i would have to earn a bomb just to cover the costs my partner does everything he can for us instead so i can bring the children up at home he works full time plus over time just to get by! we dont get help apart from child benefit like everyone! we have full rent, full council tax, bills and dont get any help for health costs for me and my partner its disgusting they wont even give us a council house and were all squashed in a 2 bed house!scroungers make me sick!

By disgusted!.. Posted November 16 2008 at 10:46 AM.

Its embarrassing that things have come this far. If a british family went abroad to any country abroad, would THEY get this treatment....No.
This is a product of political correctness gone too far, if families like this do not recieve massive handouts and homes which british born and raised children/families would not recieve its racism. I myself are a dad to 6 children and I guarantee none of my children will be housed or get benefits like these. It is not these families fault it is the DO GOODERS of this world that need stringing up by the goulies.

By cal.. Posted November 16 2008 at 8:53 AM.

This is absolute madness. the people who authorised this property as a rental for people on benefits should be sacked. The family don't even appreciate what the British taxpayer is doing for them. It's not the Council's money, it's your money, the British tax payer.Get real!

By sandra hunt.. Posted November 16 2008 at 3:10 AM.

I echo what another poster stated: blame the landlord for taking advantage of a loophole.

While it's natural for people to be upset over what they see as someone taking advantage of the system, the xenophobic and racist comments by some are completely uncalled for. Calling them them "terrorists" for example is completely wrong and uncalled for as there is not shred of proof they are in any way connected with any terrorist orgs.

By Kiki.. Posted November 15 2008 at 11:17 PM.

=O she has more than most of the hard working people in this country and she doesnt do anything for it!!! if she doesnt need all the seven bedrooms then the council should use it as shared accomodation and give some homeless people from this country a roof over there head!! to any1 who has worked hard to earn what they have WELL DONE!! i am only seventeen and i hope i do well in life but how can any young person plan to do well in life if the goverment make it so easy for people to sit on their backsides and sponge from people who pay tax!!

By nicky tedford.. Posted November 14 2008 at 2:59 PM.

i think it is not an issue about racism.i think it in an issue of what is fair and just.bad thing that their country is in war, bad thing that they were driven out from their lifestyle there BUT it is also a bad thing to rely on tax payers money to support their lifestyle.i hold a work permit visa and like any other hardworking and honest person

By jaffe.. Posted November 14 2008 at 5:03 AM.

To mo...
I am a tax payer, so is my mum, so was my nan and so are/was the rest of my family...and may i say that not I, nor my mum, nor my nan or the rest of my family TELL TONY BLAIR WHAT TO DO. The British citizens are not the government and the immigrants are NOT the victims. The British tax payers are the victims. We work, we fight and we pull everything we possibly can together and at the end of it all we find that the money we have put towards our british government is being used for people who moved here ILLEGALLY and are living a life that WE DESERVE. Boo Bloody Hoo...afghans have a hard life....dog eat dog world darling and you are lower on the economic food chain if you aren't British.

By Jo.. Posted November 13 2008 at 7:41 PM.

Are they still there, scandleous.

By Rob.. Posted November 13 2008 at 3:42 PM.

yes this makes my blood boil too. i'm not angry at the family for having this house it's the the bloody councils and goverments. what the family made me angry by doing was moaning about it and pleading poverty. if you want to go to disneyland then sell some of your bloody TV's and game stations but please please please stop your ****ing whinging. if your still not happy the buy a one way ticket back, i'm sure the council will foot the bill anyway

By bob brown.. Posted November 10 2008 at 7:30 PM.

Why is this womans 22 year old son still living at home? i dont think that the 7 bedrooms are needed at all. Its very cheeky for the government to charge us taxes for this. there are vritish people here living in poverty and they get no help. I know people that are not well off at all and have to deal with it. If the house isnt good enough for chickens and the house in afghanistan was so much better, they should go back and be happy instead of taking the mick here. on the other hand the council are a bunch of idiots for allowing this to happen

By Naomi.. Posted November 10 2008 at 4:05 PM.

This is disgusting. She should get off her backside and get her self a job. She can get a job to fit around the childrens school hours. She is just plain lazy. She has it easy... far to easy for that matter so why should she get a job with all the benifits she is scooping in to buy her games consoles and fancy couches and big tvs.
Then they have the audasity to say this house is SMALLER then the one they had in afganistan, Why not go back there then?!
This really has made me total disgusted to be a HARDWORKING BRITISH!!!! mother of a 1 year old with a JOB and a mortgage!

By Emma.. Posted November 10 2008 at 11:32 AM.

To the person "Any." who Posted on "November 9 2008 at 2:39 PM." Can I ask if you're a immigrant who also has one of these houses all paid for by OUR taxes? Seems to me like you are. On the subject of changing the government... You're too late all of you. There are so many immigrants here now that if we did try to vote out the idiots who are currently in power the immigrants would probably be able to outvote us! It's indirect invasion!

By Paul.. Posted November 10 2008 at 9:42 AM.

This is why I left the country and start a new life at a different country. My taxes kept on rising, and it makes me SICK to find out where the money is going to. She can't afford the bills? SHE HAS MORE MONEY THAN MOST OF US. Her monthly handouts are more than what I get per year! This is disgusting! Why does the government do this? What have we done to deserve this? More and more people are getting luxuries for doing nothing. I have to pay everything out of my own money, and give some to the government to give it to people who are too lazy and greedy, and are laughing at our faces. Our tax money should be used to help make this country safer, not giving it to scroungers. This is unfair to all of us taxpayers. I had no job for six months and what did I get? NOTHING! Not even jobseekers allowance. A new prime minister and a fresh new goverment is a MUST.

By Mark.. Posted November 10 2008 at 5:18 AM.

why does the govenment not put a restriction on rent etc paid to people that are not uk nationals and force any one coming into the uk to go to a cheaper area to live not in london area where prices are so expensive.also force these people to go working after say the first year and make them pay money back into the tax mans pot or leave,this would save the tax payers a lot of money,this would make a lot of the british people much happier.

By pete.. Posted November 9 2008 at 11:40 PM.

£20 says we wouldn't get the same if we emigrated to afgan

By big t.com.. Posted November 9 2008 at 11:35 PM.

I live down the road from this house, it's not the only large house in the area filled with foreigners/immigrants etc. I waited 9 years in a 1 bed flat with husband and 2 kids to get a 3 bed flat, and we're british born and bred. Acton has become a complete disaster and there's hardly any true British people left here.

By Marie.. Posted November 9 2008 at 6:58 PM.

This country is a joke. Why is it that people I know live in 1 bedroomed damp, grotty flats with four of the sharing a room when people like her live in the life of luxury and then complain about it?!?! The government seriously needs to SORT IT OUT.

By Emily.. Posted November 9 2008 at 6:40 PM.

the country has gone to the dogs. i cant blame the family for accepting the goodies, i blame the system. but if they were only that true n humble they shuddn't have rubbed it in for the rest of the hard-working public.

designer gear, flashy gadgets, hobbies like illegal street-racing in souped-up cars......only dreams for most.

who is to be blamed? there must've been at least one single **** who shud've looked at the figures n think 'this must be wrong somehow'. them blokes at the council have scaled the peaks of incompetence and do not want to climb down. high time for a change at 10 D Street.

By bob.. Posted November 9 2008 at 6:39 PM.

I am an ex serviceman who has a family of five children and a wife . Over the years I have worked struggling to pay rent , bills , etc... I recieved no benefits as my wage just exceeded the boundary , however I couldn't afford such luxuries as these immigrants get. They recieve food vouchers some get cars with tax, insurance and mot, even fuel vouchers. I feel a pauper next to these immigrants and I work for a living , my children don't have the luxuries that these have . It's time the goverment put a STOP to this , as most of the immigrants either have a job or go begging aswell as recieving all these benefits . It makes me SICK

By K Whitfield.. Posted November 9 2008 at 5:37 PM.

Send them back to Afgan country, why the hell do they feel the need to come to the UK, and sponge of us "Working Class" people, who struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis, but when it comes to us needing help we are told that:-
1) Your partner earns to much
2) You have not contributed enough over the period of time that you have been working, therefore are not entitled.
3) Your child is of an age to work, therefore they can contribute to the household.

I thought we were all meant to be equal!

By Any.. Posted November 9 2008 at 2:39 PM.

maybe the government feels guilty for driving these famalies out of afghanistan and therefore insists on paying out £1200 a month in rent.

maybe the rest of you should think how it would feel if you were driven out of your homes in the middle of 1 night and had to travel to another country forever leaving behind everything you, your father and his father ever worked for.

these famalies have had it tough - so you tax payers work your arses off so that this woman can have the top life she desearves to have - and if anyones got a problem with that - well then you should have f***in thought about that before tony blair started s***ing bush's ****. he ruined the british economy and now chills in his villas in America. one day we will all die - who knows when - so enjoy life and stop bitching for things you could have and be greatful for what you do have.

LEAVE THIS WOMAN ALONE

By mo.. Posted November 9 2008 at 1:33 PM.

I just cant believe what i am reading, what a joke!!! I have a baby and a partner, we both have jobs which are taxed heavily, and we are still struggling to live and pay the mortgage and bills but are the government giving us all this money! dont think so!!! its about time this counrty started looking after its own and not just anyone who comes here looking for a free ride!! We will have the whole world here before long living and scrounging off our benifit system. Have the government not noticed that there are more and more british leaving the UK because it is a joke.

By Roz.. Posted November 9 2008 at 12:48 PM.

Jealous of them? Of course we all are. What everyone needs to bear in mind, is that OUR government allows this to happen.
Would any of the British be offered the same in any other country? No, we wouldn't.

This is not about race, this is about right and wrong. It was WRONG of Ealing Council to pay such exorbitant rent for one family.

Don't blame the family, they are doing what you would do if you were in their position - taking what's on offer (and by god, is this country offering plenty at the tax payers expense!)

By jam.. Posted November 9 2008 at 12:27 PM.

Why is everybody mad at the family and nobody mad a the British system? They didn't exactly use guns to get to where they're at now, did they?
I live in Germany and it's the same over here. Immigrants appear to be driving bigger cars, have bigger TV-Screens and all the latest gimmicks and yet they're at home all day long. I can only assume that these people have ways to pity the authorities whereas natives are often too proud or fearsome to ask for social benefits.

By Iris.. Posted November 9 2008 at 11:55 AM.

WHO WOULD PAY THERE HOUSING IF ENGLISH HAD A MASSIVE REVOLT AND AGREED TO GO TO WORK TOMORROW MORNING AND HAND IN THEIR NOTICE? bEST PLAN, IRRADICATE THE PROBLEM. THE WAY THE NATURE INTENDED, SURVIVAL OF THE FITEST NOT THE HYINA'S OF HUMAN KIND THAT'S FOR SURE! WHY SHOULD WE PAY. WE DO HAVE A CHOICE NOT TOO, I DECIDED THIS AFTER READING ALL THESE COMMENTS. IF WE DON'T WORK, WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY. THEN THE GOVENMENT WOULD HAVE TO ACT. THE GOVENMENT ARE GRINDING THIS COUNRTY TO THE GROUND, WHY DON'T WE ALL MAKE IT HAPPEN. THEN SEE HOW MANY IMIGRANTS STILL STAY HERE. PLENTY OF JOBS AND ACCOMADATION FOR THE ENGLISH AFTER! BET THE PENNILESS SCRONGERS MAGICALLY FIND MORE CASH TO GO HOME THEN.

By MOFFY.. Posted November 9 2008 at 11:59 AM.

unreal and British born people have postcode lotterery for health care decissions. How many nurses, medication, police officers can we get for that money. What do we who work and pay for this get, laughed at! disgraceful! Maybe it should come out the pockets of the council employee's, see how lavish lifestyles the maintain then. If there house was so good, how did they have no cash to once the set foot on British soil. They should do genuine British Citizens and taypayers a favour and spend a months rent deporting then 1st class back to their big house and let the British live in "the chicken hen". How insulting and how long before the British start an uprise against these never ending cases. I was homeless for 4 months after been threatened by landlord to rip my f**in throat out, the womans husband worked for the housing benifit department in somerset, I didn't recieve any benifits because i didn't qualify the criteria! I had to steal fruit to survive. I am no jobless doser. Always the agencies that exsist to help the British always helps the scroungers of this miserable world we now live in since men and women died to provide this for our county, proud to be British-NO ASHAMED! now i am back on my feet i am saving to leave this counrty once and for all but as always, not easy for us Brits to leave our own counry, no we have to prove we have funds to survive!

By Shel.. Posted November 9 2008 at 11:01 AM.

As for the commet made by Greg,why don't you go to work and pay there bills as you don't mind yet everyone in country who pays tax disagree's. yes we would all put both our hands to grab the cash if it was on offer for free-but it's not free I the taxpayer pay it yet i can't afford anything close to what they have and i work full time no dependents! it's OUR money stolen from OUR wages to pay for these scumbags who drain our resouses. If they want to thank the British, why not sell all the belongings, by their own admittion they had nothing, still survived to tell the story-why not sell it all on ebay and give it to genuine charity.

By shel.. Posted November 9 2008 at 11:08 AM.

I am an irish citizen, but just reading this absolutely infuraites me, what gives these people the right to come to Britain/Ireland and seek asylum?? I have absolutely no sympathy for these people, and for someone that was bought up to respect all different natioanlities etc, my government and the english government are slowly turning myself and the rest of the nations racist. At the end of the day we work our 'asses' off to provide a life standard for ourselves which is sufficient to our needs, and these people come in and get everything handed to them on a plate, its like a big FU to all the british and irish natives. I could go on all day about my views, but im just one person. Ship them all home, save the ecomony some money. It turns my stomach to think we're in dire straits with recession, and this is going on?? Gordon Brown/ Brian Cowen YOU BOTH need to take a long hard look at yourselves, you certainly have some explaining to do!!!???

By Gemma Gleeson.. Posted November 9 2008 at 10:16 AM.

no surprise there, an insult to the british people

By steve.. Posted November 9 2008 at 8:04 AM.

Amazing !! I was stuck in a damp one bedroomed flat in a terraced house for 7 years with 3 children I was born in this country my father died fighting for it We never got the pleasure of a council house.We eventually bought our own My children have all worked since leaving school ,and are now paying this person's rent with their taxes Truly ironic,I m sorry the house is too big for her ahhhh

By mary.. Posted November 9 2008 at 7:19 AM.

Reading things like this gets me angry as i claim £90 every fortnight and i was born and grew up in this country with my parents being over taxed (i wonder why?)

By Bee Jay Pitt.. Posted November 8 2008 at 2:21 PM.

Well well well, it’s sad to know people here got too many problems as they expressed their feeling by telling them go back to your country OR they just like to complaint.

I am paying back student loan. Giving rent, paying bills plus taxes. But you know what back in their country you killing their people, kids, women, man, destroying their houses their much hard earned lands. Shame on you people who are telling them to go back to their country to get killed. They got every right to complaint because your elected people took them out of their lands. WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. I am not from Afghanistan but imagine some country attack you and you go elsewhere for shelter. Would you not angry if you go to the country that attacked you. Look into you own life and stop looking at others.

By furqan.. Posted November 7 2008 at 2:47 AM.

This woman is entitled to a house but why should she get a house that cost US £12,000 a month ???? This is the tax payer's money. If her kids are old enough why is she not out to work ? ? ? Because she has figured out that she has more money on benefit's that actually working ! This is the government's problem. They need to change how much people get on benefit's and get the national minimum wage increased. I am working full time and I would get more money not working that actually trying to contribute something to this country. This women seem's like most of the country now a day's. When are the government going to realise this and get the benefit system sorted ??? No wonder we are all in the credit crunch and can't afford anything where as all these people on benefit's still seem to be ok ? Hmmm how does this work !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By sian.. Posted November 6 2008 at 10:39 AM.

i think we shouldn't let them in unless they can bring something to the table!!!!! we should make everyone on benifits do something in their community for there money even if it was tidying outside there house now and then.

By daniel... Posted November 5 2008 at 5:30 PM.

Why shouldn't they be entitled to a house? If the council hadn't helped them they would be on the street would that be better? There are thousands of British born people on benefits who have never contributed to the country and probably never will! I think people forget they have escaped war torn countries and need support. If you're going to get so angry about that what about all the single mothers here who get pregnant just to get a house and NEVER have to work!
The system is flawed, don't blame these people. I think it stinks of racism. So what if she is from Afghanistan?! Would you rather the family go back there? Looking at unemployment in this cuontry it#s not the immigrants causing the problem ,it's single WHITE men and WHITE women so get off your high horses.

By Marie.. Posted November 5 2008 at 12:18 PM.

Scroungers and the system – Part Three

It's not the fault of the claimants; it's the "do gooders" who are focused on positive discrimination who prevent the government from making changes that would make it fair.

We all let it happen, we are too scared of being racist to make a stand, too tired to get out there and do anything about it.

Racist and discrimination sells papers, trying to make Britain a decent place to live doesn't.

By Sam.. Posted November 5 2008 at 11:42 AM.

Scroungers and the system – Part Two
I believe that people should work for what they get, paid or benefits. If the unemployed had to “work” 5 mornings or 3 days a week (so they still had time for interviews and job hunting)! we could live in a cleaner safer place, if they patrolled in pairs around parks, these would be safer for our children. They could provide an extra pair of eyes to the police and make walking safer for children and women alone.

This would provide benefits to the working population. First of all, as the claimants would have to get up every day to go to work, they would become employable, stats show employers do not want to employ long term unemployed as they don’t believe they will turn up! Secondly, a cleaner safer environment for the communities they live in and finally if they have to work, they might just go and get a job and be paid fully for it rather than sitting at home, so the benefit payments would go down (we hope).

This is a 2-class society. The rules apply according to if you work or not and if you own/rent privately or are housed.

If you work, you do all the hours you can get, pay loads of taxes and go broke
If you claim, you watch TV, run up debts and don't have to pay
If you own/rent, you have to wait till you can afford to move
If you are housed, have another child and get the bigger house

By Sam.. Posted November 5 2008 at 11:40 AM.

Scroungers and the system – Part One

It's not just the immigrants that are scrounging. I worked for the Gov (don't blame me for that one) and was repeated told I was stupid to work when I could get more on benefit, that was by the white English claimants!

I chose to work. I wanted my children to see that the harder you work the more you can have. As an adult I know that's rubbish coz my claimant friends had new carpets/TV's/new kitchens etc, while I had bare floorboards and ONE second hand TV and very second hand furniture.

The Gov tried (they really did) to change the benefit system 15 yrs ago to make claimants "work" for their cash. Work that would make a difference to the community they lived in, cleaning up gardens for the elderly, clearing beaches of rubbish, clearing underground parking areas.

The "do gooders" went mental as usual; it was against their human rights to be made to do demeaning jobs just because they were unemployed.

Believe it or not, the Gov is trying to do this again. Don’t think they’ll get any further this time than the last, but at least they are trying.

By Sam.. Posted November 5 2008 at 11:38 AM.

This is a flipping disgrace and also DISGUSTING.
I can't believe this even happens... how could these Afghans get more benefits than a British citizen?
No wonder they can't pay their bills if one of the sons has 2 mobiles (and doesn't work), they've got a flat-screen TV, a PlayStation 3 & a Wii - how ridiculous is that!!!
Ugh, I just don't want to hear about this anymore. Stories like these make me SICK.

By Ally.. Posted November 4 2008 at 11:24 PM.

These scroungers need to earn what that claim in benefits. There are plenty of community service jobs available for them to do. It is a complete joke that they live in such a huge house, because they choose only in life to bang out babies at our tax payers expense.
Go Home and live in your huge home. The UK welcomes workers not shirkers!

By Claire.. Posted November 4 2008 at 7:35 PM.

From the Southall Gazette, dated Friday 31st October 2008:
Housing scandle trio fired after "Bizarre Behaviour"

The scandle over the 7 bedroom mansion controversially used to house the Saindi family prompted "Bizarre Behaviour" by three temporary workers - who were let go following the fiasco, according to council leader Jason Stacey.

The Housing team alledgedly refused to answer questions about proceedures leading upto the decission to place the family in a private home costing £12,000 a month and attempted to urgently remove council papers and delete emails before being escorted out of Perivale house.

Cllr Stacey said a decission had already been taken to merge the councils rent deposit and private sector leasing teams at a later date, but the merger was brought forward as a result of the team's actions on the day.

He said "No judgement has been formed on these individuals about how they had handled this particular case but their action clearly raised significant questions. Our senior officers were efeectively left with no choice but to take the action they did. Our officers have and continue to review all aspects of the team's work and I can say that any legal action as reported in last weeks press will be vigorously challenged"

By Jon Newman.. Posted November 4 2008 at 12:55 PM.

go home!!!

By m.. Posted November 4 2008 at 9:40 AM.

Please remind me where Gordon Brown is right now with 'cap in hand' so his children can continue living well and drink more beer.....

By mr boludo is back.. Posted November 3 2008 at 5:30 PM.

I'm 22, my wife is 21 and we have a little baby daughter of 9 months, i was born and bred in the uk, as was my father, his father and his father, etc. me and my wife are both british through and through. i work 40+ hours a week for a high street bank!! (lucky me!!) and my wife has just gone back to work after maternity leave. we were refused a council house because we were both working when we found out about the pregnancy. we are having to rent privately.

After rent, council tax, bills & food.... we have no money left over in the month. we make about £1300 a month. we're paying for the luxuries (toys for the little one, things we want to do) on a credit card, and then have to pay it back, hense we're in debt.
we get child benefit of £18 per week... but dont get tax credits as "we're both working and should have enough money"

THIS COUNTRY IS AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE.

we struggle and struggle every month and then i see these spongers, who by the way should get back to their own country, getting money left right and centre, its appaling.
But i almost forgot.... its such a shame, they cant get to euro disney, lets just say, it'll be a good few years untill i can afford to take my daughter on holiday with my money.... i'm sure our tax money will take this family off on holiday before that.

By Mark.. Posted November 3 2008 at 11:25 AM.

>I know some people are a bit jealous of us<

That's an understatement. However, take the phrase "I know some people are a bit jealous of us" re-arrange the letters and add a couple more, and you get the phrase:

If you don't like all the free benefits, then sod off home you money grabbing free loader.

What has this family ever done for Britain to warrant such a huge paycheque? Stop her benefits and let her pay her own way. She is able to work, her kids who are at college are able work, so why not make them work and offer some token payment for their life of luxury

By Jon Newman.. Posted November 3 2008 at 7:46 AM.

This government needs to get itself sorted out and regard everyone equally no matter where they are from. If a British mother of 7 has to live in a 3 bed house then so should a mother of 7 from Afghanistan!!
Also, why the hell should people in government be getting £75,000 plus a year **don't forget their benefits**???? What right does a footballer have to be be earning 1083 times MINIMUM than the wage of a labourer on site????? Quite simply, THEY SHOULDN'T!! these people work 48+ hours per week of hard, tiring labour for minimum wage or less!!!!
May be, after the government have taken from the greedy and given to the needy, may be when the government has re-assessed the minimum standards required to live will we all be happier.

By Ipek.. Posted November 3 2008 at 2:29 AM.

We have a couple thousand pounds worth of debt due to necessity and have to survive off £94.95p per week. We have no family or friends that can support us and have done absolutely everything we can think of to make money to survive. Sold belongings, cleaned for a few hours, casual bar work, ANYTHING to keep a roof over our heads, and our bellies fed. Having a holiday is not even a dream for us, we worry about being homeless because we may not be able to pay for the rent AND live off eggs, bread, butter, milk and tea(all Sainsbury's own!!). There were times when I wouldn't even go to university because the bus fare could go towards food/rent. Both have us have suffered from deteriorating health as a result of how we have to live, panic attacks, constant flu symptoms as the window is not fully sealed, coughs due to the pitch black mould on the walls.
This woman from Afghanistan has no idea what to do with money, no, budgeting is not in her vocabulary. That's why she cannot afford to pay her bills!!! REALLY decadent, ignorant, selfish and ungrateful family.
The government is willing to throw money at people from other countries to promote foreign affairs internationally whilst the rest of the country suffers! sky tv? wii console? ipod phone? ps3?!!!!!! **shakes head and weeps with despair** We'd be happy with a home that doesn't have mould and creepy crawlies!!

By ipek.. Posted November 3 2008 at 2:30 AM.

I am a third generation immigrant, my great grandfather fought for the british army. I live with my fiancee who is english through and through and neither of us are employable (I am at uni and my fiancee has drifted from job to job), both of us come from very humble backgrounds and are trying to break out of that.
We have applied for hundreds of jobs over the last few months between us, it turns out we would be "better off" (if you could call it that) on benefits.

By ipek.. Posted November 3 2008 at 2:30 AM.

One more thing, OF COURSE the family knew how much the rent was!!!! IT"S A FLIPPING MANSION, HELLO!!!! it wasn't going to be cheap was it? and as far as appreciating it goes, talk about playing up to the media!? I bet during that interview she was laughing her face off at how stupid this country is. Of course she's happy SHE HAS A MANSION! she wasn't exactly going to turn around and say "HAHA you IDIOTS I HAVE A FULLY FURNISHED MANSION AND YOU DON'T!!" was she? God bless England, the country of the might and glory...........hmmm

By ipek.. Posted November 3 2008 at 2:39 AM.

Decent hardworking British people cannot get decent housing from Council's but yet they can, probably never worked a day in their lives & they have more luxury & money than people who deserve it. It seems that the more you try to help yourself in this country the less you get back in return. The government & councils need to buck up their ideas & help those who deserve it & stop giving to those who don't. No wonder the country is in such a state. TOO MUCH GREED & UNFAIRNESS.

By er.. Posted November 2 2008 at 2:28 PM.

so glad I emigrated

By anon.. Posted November 2 2008 at 2:16 PM.

any idea how i could get a property like that?i'm a mum of 7-BORN HERE,and i'm squashed into a 3 bedroomed with i kitchen sized 8ftx5ft,so small that cant fit appliances in so washing mashing is in an outside shed&fridge freezers in the sitting room lol!what a joke.& whats more,we don't SCROUNGE,my hubby works for cadburys so supports us but we rent a council house&they will only give us this small 3 bedroom&we pay our own rent.somethings wrong with the system somewhere.its a bloody joke

By emma-louise finlay.. Posted November 2 2008 at 1:04 PM.

makes me sick. the goverment need to buck their ideas up.

By laura.. Posted November 2 2008 at 12:50 PM.

makes me sick. the goverment need to buck their ideas up.

By laura.. Posted November 2 2008 at 12:47 PM.

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What your £166k benefit a year buys single Afghan mum-of-seven

But she moans the house it too big to heat!

WELCOME to the amazing luxury world of the Afghan benefits family in the £1.2million mansion.

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