CONTACT US
Should a couple who won £100,000 on a scratchcard be allowed to claim benefits? Email us your views
John and Louise Nickels who won £100,000 on a scratchcard in 2006 are asking for housing benefits to help pay their council tax.
When the couple from London won the money they owed £11,000 in arrears in council tax and rent, which they paid. Their benefits were stopped but they still received incapacity benefit of £90 a week - their rent is £80 a week so they say they haven't enough to live on.
John has a frozen shoulder and plans to soon return to work while Louise is waiting on an hip operation.
In February they ran out of money after spending it on a £22,000 caravan which is now worth £6,500. It is currently up for sale as the council expect them to sell it. They also went on holiday a couple of times and bought a second-hand Ford Mondeo second hand for £16,000.
They claim they have no money left and need extra benefits to survive.
Do you think they should be allowed to claim benefits? We'd like to hear your views about this. Email us using the form below or join the discussion in our chatroom
Here are some of the emails and texts we've had in so far:
Kate in Derby: I can't believe the couple who've won and spent all of their £100k winnings have the cheek to ask the rest of us to pay for their rent! The audacity is incredible. Why do these people think that the world owes them a living? It absolutely boils my blood.
Anon: I feel they have the right to spend the money how they wished. The council are money grabbers and make life for low income families like me living hell.
Kelly in Sunderland: This is shocking – they should have thought about their rent problems before recklessly spending all of their winnings...they should go and live in their £22,000 caravan!
Shep in Ealing: April 1st was last week. They cannot be serious. It makes my blood boil.
Anon: They knew the money was running out so why did they carry on spending? Was it because they thought the tax payer had an endless pot for them?
Alison in Gloucester: No way should their rent be paid. I'm sick of seeing spongers like this getting handouts when me and my family work hard for every penny we need to live a basic life with no frills.
Anon: I have a painful muscle disorder all over my body and have continued to work full time. That couple make me sick. I back the council.
