Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole

First of a two-part documentary about large families on welfare. In Hastings, Mandy has ten kids by five fathers. She is unrepentent about not working and receives thousands of pounds from the state. Meanwhile in Portsmouth, Sarah has seven children by two fathers, but works two night shifts a week and only claims benefits because she cannot manage without.

Concluding half of a two-part special looks at life for some of the largest families in the UK whose income is provided by the state.. 39-year-old Tom and 40-year-old Stacey Shaw have 14 kids, and their big family life is supported by the welfare state to the tune of an estimated £70,000 a year. Five of the kids were born after Tom gave up his job as a postman 10 years ago to become a full-time carer for one of his older sons, who has a potentially life-threatening medical condition. The ever-growing family has depended on handouts ever since.

The show takes a look at the lives of ex-prisoners attempting to go straight on the welfare state.

The documentary focuses on people living on state welfare in Portsmouth. Chris says he is looking for work, but that there are more shops closing down than opening up, while Carly and Drew spend their time playing darts, shopping and looking after their children, but they long for a better future. Barbara has a foot injury and is stuck between two benefit categories, meaning she has no money to live on, and Robert works as a part-time cleaner, but is stressed by the pressure the job centre is putting on him and the amount of rejection he faces as he searches for more work

Documentary series looking at people trying to get by on benefits, including Maria who has five children with five different dads, and Kate in Weymouth who gets almost £30,000 a year in benefits for her and her seven kids.