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It's a tough life on benefits ......
TOPIC: It's a tough life on benefits ......
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It's a tough life on benefits ...... 11 Years, 2 Months ago
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A woman who received nearly £50,000 in benefits by claiming she had agoraphobia was secretly travelling the world writing books.
Tracy Johnson claimed to be so unwell that she could not leave her own house but spent time travelling in India and America, a court was told.
The 52-year-old mother-of-one enjoyed a "champagne lifestyle" while writing travel guides, cookbooks and steamy novels.
As well as a four-month stint in India, Johnson enjoyed shopping sprees in New York and Madrid.
news.sky.com/story/1247943/agoraphobic-t...he-world-on-benefits
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Re:It's a tough life on benefits ...... 11 Years, 2 Months ago
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yes a rorter and non too bright one it seems.
by 2019 UK housing benefit will reach £29B a year.
To cut it would result in a massive property price collapse -probably good thing which is why it won't be.
another superb policy 
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Re:It's a tough life on benefits ...... 11 Years, 2 Months ago
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Anon wrote:
honey!oh sugar sugar. wrote:
I suppose agoraphobia must be the easiest thing to fiddle as long as you can sneak out to the airport?
I don't think people on the sick for 'agrophobia' are begrudged the occasional trip abroad, I think they are probably encouraged to do things to try and over come their fear or condition. Just cos they've made it to the air port doesn't necessarily mean they are cured of their agrophobia - they may still be suffering from it during their time abroad and when they get back, but i'd imagine if they were seeing a councillor or something for it they'd be encouraging them to try and do things and take steps to over come it. Asking them to set goals to try and do things etc...
This goes way above and beyond that as she was travelling very regularly, obviously doesn't have a lot of trouble getting out and about, seemed to be living life to the full and had other incomes from books she'd written and the travel company etc that were not declared when they should have been...
Sometimes people are better off in a strange place where nobody knows them, and it is not always about the location anyway.
When I saw the headlines I thought she had managed to go on holiday as part of her recovery and thought "Good for you" but her lies clearly indicate that it was a deliberate crime.
It is a shame because agoraphobia is very often misunderstood and things like this dont help one bit.
I am really chuffed for my friend at the moment. He has really bad agoraphobia, and hasn't been more than ten minutes from home in twenty years, but he has managed to be driven to a secluded camp spot for a fortnight
I would hate to think he could have his benefit stopped.
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Mother of 9 - on £38,000 benefits - about to drop two more !!! 11 Years, 2 Months ago
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Re:It's a tough life on benefits ...... 11 Years, 2 Months ago
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The problem with the screaming headlines is that it feeds into the fantasies of many - and I would not names on here - who think a rort like this is indicative of the millions of others who receive benefits.
fortunately the crew on King of Hits are far to sensible and reasonable to buy into this. Aren't they ?
Or when a middle class citizen defrauds a bank should be declare a shocking example of middle class behaviour ?
Or when a Hooray Henry is busted with drugs should we fence of Mayfair & Belgravia as unsafe ghettos ?
What about a coffee shop chain that uses Britain's decades of infrastructure building achieved through taxing all, to open shops and then channel profits back to some tax haven ?. An indication that all companies are bent ?
## further lectures on civics will be conducted in the local pub. Do come a'pubing with me. Mine's a large one. 
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