Obese Couple Lives Off Taxpayer Money Because They Are 'Too Fat To Work'

Stephen Beer and Michelle Coombe were featured in an episode that aired on January 5, 2016, on the U.K. documentary show, “Benefits: Too Fat To Work.”

The couple claims that their weight prevents them from getting jobs, and they get disability benefits.

Taxpayer burden?

Included in the documentary was footage of their $3,700 wedding, which included catering for 50 guests, Michelle's dress, and a tuxedo that needed to be custom-made to fit Stephen. All of this was paid for with the benefits they receive from taxpayer money.

Coombe and Beer live in Plymouth, Devon.

The Daily Mail reports that almost 60 percent of adults are overweight in that area. Coombe claims she has never had a job; she weighs over 320 pounds.

Stephen weighs a staggering 430+ pounds and hasn’t had a job in five years.

He has caretakers come in several times a day to dress and clean him.

Stephen has many health issues due to his weight, such as type 2 diabetes.

He can only stand for short stretches and ended up in the hospital during the wedding.

A blood clot in his lung resulted in nine days in the hospital, rather than a honeymoon. A personal cleaner comes twice a day to dress and wash him, as he can't do it himself. This service costs $9,900 per year.

Stephen used to work, but ended his cleaning business after having a stroke six years ago. Michelle has never worked.

They are enrolled in a weight management course, but the documentary included footage of them celebrating a few pounds lost by eating their favorite kebabs. They are given more than $3,000 a month in government benefits.

"Is it right? Of course not. But at the end of the day I did work. I have worked, I haven’t sat on my arse all the time."

"I have done some work and so really, why not?’" he said in an interview for the documentary.

People who watch the documentary show have criticized the show and the people interviewed on it.

Beer claims he has been turned down for jobs because of how much he weighs.

Beer believes that bosses have prejudiced against fat people and claims he wants to lose weight and try to get a job again.

But, in the end, he did admit that he doesn’t deserve to get benefits from the government.

Beer said that the government is making things easy for people like him and Coombe.

During the show, the couple is seen planning their wedding.

The total cost of their nuptials will be more than $4,500 – which all came from their government benefits – which comes from taxpayers.

This wedding was the sixth for Beer but the first one for Coombe. You can see a video of their interview below.

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