Great British Benefit Handout: Man who lived off handouts spends cash on venomous snake

Scott, an exotic animal enthusiasts, is doing so well he has bought a venomous snake to treat himself.

The animal collector and his wife Leanne were one of three couples who signed of benefits for a year in return for a lump sum of £26,000 – the annual benefits cap for one family. 

The husband and wife, from Kirby, Liverpool, who have three children, created a family entertainment business, keeping exotic animals in the back garden – including a raccoon for a short time.

“This time next year this could be open as a little zoo with a kids play area,” Scott says as he surveys the land he hopes to build his zoo on with his wife and children. 

In the new episode Scott introduces viewers to even more new animals – including a personal purchase. 

“I’ve got a new snake coming and a new lizard. I can’t use the snake because it’s pretty venomous but that’s a personal one – I think I deserve a personal one now after a year of hard work,” Scott explained.

He pointed out the new animals he could use for his business, a children’s party business where the animals make an appearance.  

“This snakes new, only had this one a month, had this one about three weeks, that’s a new snake from a month ago,” he says.

“This one was posted through my letterbox, she’s a boa constrictor, she’s not the friendliest.”

He now has more than 50 exotic animals.

Two other families used the cash for different things. Tony and wife Diane have created a successful car boot business while single mother Rachael paid of 20 years of debt.

In the latest series six families will be getting the £26,000 in hand, in return for signing off benefits. 

A 53-year-old woman Lorraine ants to set up a market stall selling children’s clothes, but find herself out of her depth when it comes to balancing the books. 

Donna from Southend plans to open a hair soon while cancer survivor Kim and her partner Adam hope to return to normality. 

Benefits mum Deborah Hodge appeared on This Morning recently to defend an image she posted online, raising a glass of prosecco and thanking taxpayers for helping her buy £2,700 worth of Christmas presents for her children.

A former teacher, Deborah explained how her partner at the time had a breakdown, and how the family were forced to move out of the village they lived in and to return back to London. 

She said: “On the face of it, it looks like I just walked out of my job, but there were serious reasons behind that.