Lottery Couple Who Blew £50k Winnings Are Refused Benefits

A jobless couple who spent their entire £50,000 lottery winnings in one year have been refused their benefits.

Jamie and Abbie Hort blew their fortune on holidays, designers clothes and a giant TV but now they face being kicked out of their flat.

The pair want their income support and housing benefit to be paid again but officials have refused to give them any more handouts.

Mr Hort said: “When we first won the money, we were very excited and we helped sort our family out with some money and went shopping.

"We had no other income source so the money was going on things like food. Sometimes we were spending £70 a day on food.

"We were a bit silly with it, it could have lasted a lot longer, I’ll admit that.

“But all we want now is some help.”

The couple, from Guernsey, scooped the cash at the end of 2014 and moved into their own place, kitting it out with furniture and a 50 inch TV.

However, they were evicted once the money ran out and used the money they had put aside for their children for a new flat - but they can no longer pay the £700-a-month rent.

Winnings: The couple face eviction from their new flat (SWNS)

Mrs Hort, 21, who is unemployed, said: "We need to pay the rent on Friday or we are going to be kicked out.

"Neither of us have jobs. I am trying to get work. My husband is a scaffolder but there is no work around at the moment.

"They want to see receipts from the statements as they don’t believe all the money has gone. The £50,000 went in eight months but they don’t believe us.

"They think we still have £24,000 but we would not have been evicted from two places if we had that sort of money left.”

Mr Hort added: “Obviously we want to get back to work - I worked pretty much from the age of nine until I was 22 and 23.

"I’ve been looking for jobs but with everything you have to be professional and qualified. Trying to get a job is like finding a needle in a haystack.”

A spokesman for Social Security said it was unable to comment on individual cases in the media.

Top pic: SWNS