A jobless mother has used taxpayer cash to fund her life of “luxuries”, including numerous plastic surgeries, stating that being on benefits has never “held her back”.
Marie Buchan, 42, has spent most of her adult life on benefits and has received about £500,000 in handouts from the Government over the course of 23 years.
The mum-of-eight, who has been dubbed the Welfare Queen, has received the hefty sum in order to help her provide for her children.
However, in the past decade, has said she has spent taxpayers’ money on lavish purchases, including a boob job, a designer vagina, and a horse.
A mum-of-eight has used taxpayer cash to fund her life of 'luxuries'Getty“Being on benefits has never held me back from doing anything,” she told The Sun. “I have had a lot of luxuries.”
In 2018, she caused a ruckus when she jetted off to Turkey for a £1,500 boob job, and the following year, enraged many when she flew back again for laser treatment to achieve a “designer vagina”.
The mum-of-eight, from Selly Oak, Birmingham, has claimed that she used money raised from car boot sales to fund the procedures, however has conceded that she understands why people were annoyed.
It is also likely that many of the items that she sold at the carboot were purchased with her benefits money.
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She has received about £500,000 in handouts from the Government over the course of 23 years
PAShe admitted: “I did fly abroad to get the surgery, but it’s something I’ve come to regret. It was all a very big mistake and it’s embarrassing for my kids.”
Buchan also bought a horse with the money, though she later gave him away as she could not keep up with the costs.
“I paid £600 upfront for the horse and then had to pay an additional £100 a month to keep him at the yard. Food was around £25 a month,” she said.
“It was a big mistake. I was rubbing it in people's faces and I was showing off and I really regret that.”
Buchan also bought a horse (stock) with the money, though she later gave him away
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After having her first child aged 19, Buchan entered the benefits system but flitted between working and taking time off to care for her children.
She eventually decided to give up work and live solely from taxpayer money in order to look after her kids, and has stated that her family is “better off on benefits”.
“I never thought about the financial impact of having eight children because it is just so easy to get help from the government.
“They even give you the form at the hospital to claim your child tax credit. They make it too easy.”
However, she is now looking to get into work, though every application is rejected when they find out about her reputation.
She said she would like to be a health care assistant, shrugging off the Welfare Queen title and instead becoming a "Working Queen".
