but find it hard to imagine that £73 a week would lead to a cushy life
But when you add the housing benefit, free dental care and all the other bits that tend to go with it, the tenants who I've had on benefits all seem to have Sky, new clothes and toys for the kids, and brand new stuff for the baby, and then they don't pay the rent - because the council tell them they don't actually have to; you can see why some people may be getting the wrong impression.
They buy things on credit, but don't pay it back, and then finally move only when the bailiffs come knocking; and I even had one tenant give a false name to BT to get broadband.
And when they get threatened with eviction, they go tot CAB for advice, who tell them to ignore it until the bailiffs are throwing them out, and then the council will rehouse them, except whilst the housing department will tell the landlord that they won't rehouse them if they're in rent arrears, there's a rehousing department that sorts out a deposit bond scheme for them, or the rent in advance, and so the merry go round starts again with another landlord.
Some work cash in hand and don't declare it, others are only declaring 16 hours, and doing 30, and the youngster are often selling stuff of one sort or another. Then there's the "I've got depression and can't work, so I'm entitled to the extra ESA allowance".
No, not all are like that, but I could certainly tell you some stories.
ended up a millionaire after getting onto the EU band wagon.
