Jobless benefits family get new knocked-through £300,000 seven-bed council home - three doors down from their old 'cramped' house

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated:


A jobless family of 11 on £42,000-a-year in benefits were handed a new £300,000 seven-bedroom house just three doors down from their old 'cramped' house.

Kevin and Sharron Bishop receive £3,500 of taxpayer's money every month for themselves and their nine children.

They had been living in a four-bedroom property but this weekend their neighbours watched in disbelief as the family carted their all belongings a few yards down the road to the new house.

Doubling up: The Bishop family's new home, circled right, is two council houses knocked into one, and just yards away from their former property, circled left

Doubling up: The Bishop family's new home, circled right, is two council houses knocked into one, and just yards away from their former property, circled left

Their new home is two council houses which have been knocked through to create a seven-bedroom address costing the taxpayer around £50,000.

Neighbours living on the estate in Yeovil, Somerset, called the couple 'work-shy scroungers' and alleged the Bishop children have terrorised the neighbourhood.

Residents are furious that the couple haven't worked for 20 years but are able to claim  the incredible amount in benefits.

One, who did not want to be named, said: 'They've been spending their benefit money on luxury parrots - some cost them as much as £800.

'They are scroungers and all the money they get and spend is taxpayers' money. They are fit enough to work but they just don't want to.

'There's also a lot of late night noise and vandalism and harassment from their children.

Moving up: Sharron Bishop, whose family receives £42,000-a-year in benefits, has moved into a new seven-bedroom house

Moving up: Sharron Bishop, whose family receives £42,000-a-year in benefits, has moved into a new seven-bedroom house

'They moved in on Friday and that house was done up inside-out, but within the next few weeks it'll be ruined.' 

Another added: 'They have been given a new double house which is infuriating for the majority of people around here.

'That's because neither one of them has done a decent day of work in their lives.

'It's frustrating when we pay taxes.' 

The Bishops' £42,000 annual payout - around twice the average national income - is made up of income support, tax credits, housing benefit and council tax benefit.

On Friday, they moved all their belongings - which included flat screen TVs, sofas, armchairs, beanbags and DVDs - to their new home.

The two adapted semi-detached houses, which form the Bishop's home, are newly built with two reasonably-sized back gardens and are kitted out with a range of brand new white goods.

Yarlington Housing Group, which provided the new home, said the family qualified for a new scheme called Furnicare, in which they can buy furniture at reduced prices.

Mr Bishop, a former taxi-driver who is in his 40s, said: 'I don't want to hear any more about this or I'll phone the police for harassment.' 

Mrs Bishop was unavailable for comment at 12noon as she 'was still in bed'.

The Bishops are well-known in the area for owning expensive parrots, which often escape.

A neighbour added: 'People down the road are desperate to have a house yet these people spend more money on parrots than they do food.' 

Yarlington Housing Group said the move was necessary because the family were 'overcrowded' in their previous home.

A spokesman said: 'We had a duty to re-house them and this was deemed the most appropriate way.

'Should they relinquish it at any time it can be easily returned to two homes.'

Matthew Sinclair, Research Director at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'It is absolutely shocking to see so many extreme cases like this of families abusing the welfare system and getting absurd amounts in benefits far beyond the income of many ordinary working families.

'Taxpayers don't expect their money to be spent keeping scroungers in huge homes and allowing them to make extravagant purchases like buying luxury parrots.

'This kind of disgraceful waste of money is why we need serious reform of the welfare system, and the Government can't duck the tough choices that can reduce the cost to taxpayers and improve incentives to work.' 

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