# Council workers sacked over giving mother £170,000 a year in benefits



## Ambrose (Jan 14, 2009)

Από εδώ

Council workers sacked over giving mother £170,000 a year in benefits 
Three council workers have been sacked after an Afghan mother was given £170,000 a year in benefits to live in a £1.2 million home. 

By Chris Irvine 
Last Updated: 8:30PM BST 09 Oct 2008
The Saindis were placed three months ago at their current £1.2m house which they are entitled to have by law given the size of their family 

Ealing Council was paying mother-of-seven Toorpakai Saiedi housing allowance of £12,458 a month, nearly five times the rent for a similar property in the same road. She also received £400 a week in benefits. 

The sacked housing officers, David Lewis, Gemma Calliste and Salma Khan claim they have been made scapegoats by Ealing Council. 

Mr Lewis, 37, said: "We are shocked and stunned that we've lost out jobs as we were just doing what we were told. 

"We were just doing our job, but it's a stupid system. I thought £12,000 a month was a lot but it was agreed by Rent Services so it was OK. 

"We have basically been sacked with no notice. We were about to get permanent contracts and all of that has been taken away from us." 

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions James Purnell has now called for a review into housing benefits. 

Mr Purnell said: "It was never intended that the Local Housing Allowance could result in a payment of this magnitude and I am shocked and concerned by this situation. 

"I have already asked my officials to carefully examine this issue as part of our current Review of Housing benefit and expect them to report to me as a matter or urgency."

Πάντως, αν εφαρμοζόταν κάτι ανάλογο στην Ελλάδα εντός λογικών πλαισίων θα έλυνε μπαμ-και-κάτω το πρόβλημα της υπογεννητικότητας.


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