The British Welfare State, Bulging and Ever More Idiotic

It's good to be "poor" in the UK!

Poor people in Washington, DC just have Blackberry's and get soup from Michelle Obama, but whoa-it's good to be "poor" in England nowadays.

A 36-year-old mother of seven children moved into the detached property last July and receives £170,000 a year in benefits, which includes £12,500 a month for her rent.

Ealing Council has been unable to find suitable council housing, forcing it to pay a private landlord to re-house the family. Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell promised to stamp out the practice when the case was exposed last year.

"Mrs Saiedi moved to London seven years ago after she fled her native Afghanistan during civil unrest. She was made homeless [ed: just like that, nice passive voice] from a five-bedroom house in Ealing, West London, in 2008 and pleaded with the council for a suitable home but there was nothing available.

As well as seven bedrooms, the house in nearby Acton has two reception rooms, a dining room, two kitchens and an extensive back garden.

"The landlord, Ajit Panesar, is being paid double the normal market value of the property because of another government loophole. "