Benefits couple’s £5,000 wedding

AN UNEMPLOYED couple yesterday revealed they used their benefits to pay for their £5,000 wedding – and called on the Government to subsidise their luxury honeymoon.

Richard Broom, 35, married 61year-old Sandra Gallagher after they saved money from the £1,800 they receive every month.

But, still not content with taxpayers’ generosity, they said the Government should match what they save for the honeymoon they are planning in Malaysia.

They want to have a child – either from a donor egg implanted in Mrs Broom by NHS doctors or through a surrogate.

Mr Broom, who quit his job as a road cleaner five years ago to pursue acting-but admitted he was ‘lazy’, told the Sunday Mirror: ‘Thanks to the taxpayer we were able to have a great day.

‘We deserve a marriage or a wedding bonus funded by taxpayers because when people on benefits marry they get less money. We’ve saved £600 for our honeymoon and want the Government to match it.’

His wife, who hasn’t worked for 40 years and has seven children and 20 grandchildren from two previous relationships, added that using their benefits to marry was a ‘human right’. She said: ‘Benefits people shouldn’t be slagged off for being on benefits or criticised for having a nice wedding. Benefit hat- ers don’t know how we’ve suffered on limited funds.’

The couple, from Gillingham in Kent, saved money from their income, which includes £225-a-fortnight Employment Support Allowance, £224-a-fortnight Job Seeker’s Allowance, £160 weekly housing benefit and £120 Council Tax allowance per month.

They spent £1,000 on an engagement ring and party, with the rest of the budget going on the church ceremony and reception at a local work-