It’s too risky to have a job claims 32st woman

A JOBLESS woman who weighs 32 stone picks up £ 18,000 a year in benefits – because she claims her size makes her a risk at work.

Rochelle Coulson has a condition linked to obesity called sleep apnoea. It leaves her tired and liable to nod off unexpectedly.

She is also diabetic and says she put on 13 stone in four years by eating to cope with “boredom”.

She has never had a job and is one of thousands of people who claim they are too fat to work – costing taxpayers millions a year.

Rochelle, 21, from New Milton, Hants, said: “I can’t work because of my condition.

“If I was sat in an office, I would just fall asleep and the manager will end up sacking me.

“I would love to have a job, didn’t chose to be like this. But I can’t. I’m too dangerous. I can’t do anything if I’m falling asleep the whole time.”

Rochelle, who claims she is trying to lose weight, also said the NHS could do more to help, adding that health chiefs “could try and get me a support worker.”

But critics insisted people like her should take more responsibility for themselves. Jonathan Isaby, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “The benefit system is a safety net, not a comfort blanket. People must get in shape to work.”

Rochelle featured last night on the Channel 5 programme Benefits And Bypasses: The Billion Pound Patients.