Mum criticised for spending disability benefits on children's Christmas presents
![A mum has been criticised for saving some of her disability allowance for Christmas presents [Photo: Rex]](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/kXZFJswwBK1npr5o6GcWCg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD0xMDIw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/homerun/feed_manager_auto_publish_494/4bd4cb180ec2a055bf62466258adb777)
A mum has been severely criticised for saving some of her disability benefits for Christmas presents.
Appearing on ‘This Morning’ on Wednesday, Claire Young said she puts aside £50 a week in order to buy her children decent Christmas presents each year.
The mum-of-six was signed off from work in 2012 due to suffering from ME and fibromyalgia and receives £850 a week from the government.
Over the course of the year, she says she can save around £2000 for her children who are all currently 12 and under.
“I don’t drink, I don’t go out every weekend, I don’t take drugs, I hardly buy anything. Everything is for the children,” she told presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.
“Christmas is only once a year and that’s how I see it. Yes, we are on benefits but that shouldn’t stop the children having Christmas.”
“If I could go to work right now I would do. But just because I’m on benefits, does that mean that my children don’t get Christmas? And at the end of the day, that’s our family money.”
“I don’t tell anyone else how to spend their money, no one should tell me how to spend my money.”
I would dread to think what pain she is in with the awful condition she has got however when she goes on national tv and brags about what she has spent on Xmas with money she gets from the state then forgive me if I’m not entitled to judge #opinion
— Mrs D (@mrsdavies70) December 13, 2017
These women make my blood boil. Me & my husband both work really hard & we cant afford to save £50 a week!
— linda stirk (@lindastirk2) December 13, 2017
I am a single working mom and think it’s wrong someone can sit on their backsides claim benefits then spend to the excess, kids don’t need all this and doesn’t set a good example for the next generation !
— Sarah Osborne (@sarahoz1985) December 13, 2017
If she can afford to save £50 a week she’s getting £50 a week too much! Benefits are NOT for luxuries.
— Ruth Maxwell-Hudson (@ruthm4x) December 13, 2017
Claire has received plenty of criticism on Twitter from people who don’t believe any of her money should be used for Christmas presents.
“I would dread to think what pain she is in with the awful condition she has got. However, when she goes on national TV and brags about what she has spent on Xmas with money she gets from the state, then forgive me if I’m not entitled to judge,” commented one woman.
“These women make my blood boil. Me and my husband both work really hard and we can’t afford to save £50 a week!” wrote another infuriated Twitter user.
“I am a single working mum and think it’s wrong someone can sit on their backsides, claim benefits, then spend to the excess. Kids don’t need all this and doesn’t set a good example for the next generation!” said yet another critic.
One person agreed, writing: “If she can afford to save £50 a week, she’s getting £50 a week too much! Benefits are NOT for luxuries.”
Sad reading the comments here, actually. No, personally that would be way too much money to spend, but what’s it to do with any of us? Why are people on deserved benefits having to be dictated to on what they spend their £ on? Why are we made to feel guilt each time?
— Nic Evennett (@NicEvennett) December 13, 2017
It’s her money. She is spending it on her kids that’s what it’s for. She saved it. Shes selfless. Some people would spend it on themselves. She seems lovely.
— Jennifer@ChatterBox (@Hello2Jen) December 13, 2017
It makes a parent on benefits a decent parent spending on there kids at Christmas and birthdays and all year round. You get the bad parents out there spending there benefits on drink and drugs and there kids get nothing all year round. Good for the women on set today.
— Love London 3 (@lovingurbanlife) December 13, 2017
However, some have stood up for the disabled mum, saying she’s entitled to spend her benefits however she sees fit. Supportive tweets read:
“Sad reading the comments here, actually. No, personally that would be way too much money to spend, but what’s it to do with any of us? Why are people on deserved benefits having to be dictated to on what they spend their £ on? Why are we made to feel guilt each time?”
“It’s her money. She is spending it on her kids. That’s what it’s for. She saved it. She’s selfless. Some people would spend it on themselves. She seems lovely.”
“It makes a parent on benefits a decent parent spending on their kids at Christmas and birthdays and all year round. You get the bad parents out there spending their benefits on drink and drugs and their kids get nothing all year round. Good for the woman on set today.”
What do you think?
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