I’m a full-time mum.

SHE sits surrounded by top-of-the-range flat-screen tellies, laptop computers, games consoles and two high-tech gaming chairs.

But single mum Pam Bainbridge hasn't earned a penny to pay for her luxury life - the bill has been footed by TAXPAYERS.

Mother-of-three Pam, 33, hasn't worked for 13 years and is proud she has managed to save from her benefits to pay for new bikes, a £1,600 Golf car and Sky TV throughout the house.


Sitting on her three-piece leather sofa with her chihuahua pooch Milo dressed in designer dog clothes, she says: "Everything I own is thanks to the money I have earned in benefits and I am not ashamed to admit that.

"I realise there will be people reading this who feel furious that I haven't got a job but I am not ashamed.

"I work really hard as a full-time mum and consider my benefits to be my wages.
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"When you have three kids to look after, you cannot clock off at 5pm every day.

"I don't have the option to come home from work and put my feet up - my whole life is a job. In fact, I bet that people on £50,000 a year don't work anywhere near as hard as me."

Although Pam feels her life is tough, she in no way regrets having children Scott, 13, Chloe, ten and seven-year-old Jack by two different men.

She says: "If people stopped having kids, then the world wouldn't continue. We all have a responsibility to have children.

"All my kids are well behaved and never cause problems. They have everything they need in life and I try to make sure they never go without."

Every week, Pam's rent and council tax for her three-bedroom semi in Carlisle are paid for by the state.


She then gets £35 in income support, £137 child tax credits and £45 child benefit, and recently started receiving £35 in child support. Her children get free school dinners and each term she pockets £85 to pay for school uniforms.

Pam also gets free prescriptions and glasses if the kids need them. Excluding her rent and council tax, her benefits total £252 a week.

She says: "I am very good with money and have been able to save for the things that I want in life.

"For Christmas, I managed to save £1,000, which I am really proud about. With that, I was able to buy my kids top-of-the-range trainers, games consoles and new bikes.

"It felt good to be able to save money and I am proud of myself for spending my benefits wisely."

Twice a year Pam must attend a meeting with the Benefits Agency, who try to convince her she would be £50 a week better off if she got a full-time job on the minimum wage.
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Luckily She says: "I tell them they are talking rubbish. If I was working I would have to pay rent and council tax and would never get to see my kids. I don't have a husband to bring home the money and I really want to be a stay-at-home mum.

"Luckily, the Government allows me to do that."


Designer togs ... for the dog

Pam, who last worked when she was 20, adds: "I never liked school and I avoided it whenever I could. I used to sneak home when my mum was at work. All I dreamed of was being a wife and mother.

"Even when I saw the careers counsellor at school, I told her all I wanted in my future was to be a mum. She was absolutely horrified."

Pam left school at 15 to do seasonal work in hotels. After three years she went to college to study nursery care. But a year into the course she fell pregnant with Scott.

That is when she started receiving benefits. She says: "I was thrilled to be a mum and happy to apply for benefits so I could stay with my baby.

"My own mother worked very hard as an admin assistant and, although I love her dearly, I never felt I saw that much of her as a child.

"Benefits have given me the chance to stay with my kids and see them grow up."

After separating from Scott's dad after little more than a year with him, Pam had Chloe and Jack by another man but they split after five years.

She now gets £148 a month in maintenance from Scott's dad but nothing from Chloe and Jack's father.

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She says: "Each time I had another child I received more money from the state. It felt great to be in charge of my life and my own money - it's like a warm security blanket.

"I have peace of mind that, no matter if I am sick, I will still get my money."

And she insists: "No one can call me a benefit skank or scrounger because I am very careful with the money. I make sure there is enough to pay my direct debits, which total around £470 a month.

That goes on gas, electricity, water, the TV licence, Sky, BT Vision, credit card, house and life insurance, BT phone and internet, catalogue payments and my mobile contract."
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Last year, Pam returned to college but dropped out after two months with stress and glandular fever.

She says: "I found it too stressful bringing up three children and trying to study throughout the day.

"I probably will have to return to work when my kids grow up as my benefits will be cut. But I am a single parent and it is my view that we should not have to work. In my opinion, single parents aren't secure employees."

Pam's views will horrify taxpayers. But she says: "People constantly think they can have a go at me because I am on benefits, but I refuse to be ashamed of my lifestyle.

Top-of-the-range ... Pam's home entertainment system.

"It is not my fault benefits are available to me. I would be a fool not to take them and I feel proud I am able to save and spend wisely.

"I'd never have a child just to get a council house. Teenagers who do that are really wasting taxpayers' money and it's disgraceful."

But Pam is now pushing for a bigger house than her three-bed semi. She insists: "I have three kids and need a room for each child. I've been pushing the DSS for a bigger place and will continue to ask, no matter how many times.

"Benefits are offered to me and I don't know why anyone in their right mind would turn them down. They allow me to be a great mum and be with my children every single day.

"I wouldn't want to live any other way."

- Indian Journalist.