I'll drink to that!

[Gob]

A jobless 'alcoholic' has been awarded extra benefits money by his local council to help finance his heavy drinking.



Peter MacDonald was stunned when he received a letter from Doncaster Council awarding him the additional payments, having never made an application for them. The 51-year-old was told by benefits chiefs that he would be paid an additional £9.06 on top of his £120-a-week allowance to help cover his rent because of the money he spends on alcohol.

'I know it’s a nanny state but I’d no idea they looked after you this well,' said the former boiler cleaner. Benefits manager Marian Bolton wrote to Mr MacDonald after he fell into arrears with his rent. letter stated: 'We can see that you are struggling to pay the shortfall between your rent and housing benefit due to the large amount you spend on alcohol. 'We understand that you spend this as you are alcohol dependent.

'We have decided to award you a discretionary housing payment and from 6/10/2014 we will pay you an extra £9.06 a week.' The payments from the South Yorkshire council will last until next April, but Mr MacDonald has been told he may be able to apply for them to continue. The 51-year-old was told by benefits chiefs that he would be paid an additional £9.06 on top of his £120-a-week allowance
Mr MacDonald, who suffers from a bipolar disorder, insists he did not apply for any extra cash and disputes being branded an alcoholic by the council, although he admits drinking about five pints a day.
'I didn’t ask them for more money. I don’t know how this happened.

'I’ve a nurse comes to see me because of my condition so perhaps her department asked the council to help me out. 'They must have told them I like a drink or something but I didn’t think I was that bad.
'It’s not like I go out on sessions every Saturday night or anything,' he explained.

[MajGenl.Meade]

You'd drink to anything