Letter: Benefits lifestyle should not include satellite TV and beer

There are apparently approximately 500 people in Telford who will be affected by the reduction in the maximum of benefits that can be claimed per household from £26k to £20k.

I retired some six years ago and had a management job for a multinational company and was based in Birmingham, but throughout my working life I would have loved to take home anywhere near £26k after stoppages. I did manage however to raise a family, buy my own house and through the 80s and 90s had a series of large caravans in Wales. Until the children started work I was the sole breadwinner in the family and although we were not well off we did not want for any of the essentials.

As a friend said to me recently, things have changed. Things that used to be a luxury are now considered to be essential, and that is part of the problem. People on benefits or low wages still have the same priorities as people who have a larger disposable income. Once they have paid for their smart phone contracts, their pay to view TV, their beer, their fags and possibly drugs, there is no money left for food. I was always told that a roof over you head and food are the first priorities before any luxuries are considered.

The BBC produced a programme some time ago about a woman who was feeding herself and young son for as little as £1 per day and then went on to produce a number of programmes showing how to prepare economical meals. This of course does not include trips to McDonald's, Burger King or Pizza Hut. Eating out is, after all a luxury.

Schools should teach all children to cook basic meals from raw ingredients as part of the curriculum as this skill seems to be disappearing from society.

With currently £26k per year at their disposal no wonder the "benefit lifestyle" has grown out of all proportion.

Graham Burns, Newport

Send us your letters for publication:

Email us at starmail@shropshirestar.co.uk or write to: Readers' Letters, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU. Letters MUST include the writer's name, address and telephone number. Letters will only be published anonymously in exceptional circumstances. The editor reserves the right to condense or amend letters.