Wigan, England — Christina Briggs, 26, from Wigan, says she hates weighing 350lbs, but she can’t do anything about it because she is being forced by the government to eat junk food.
Briggs told Closer Magazine that she can’t go to the gym because she doesn’t have the money and the government won’t pay for that.
The mother-of-two says she needs more of the taxpayers’ money to overhaul her lifestyle.
‘It’s not easy being overweight and on government assistance. If I was well off, I’d be able to buy fresh food and afford a gym membership,” said Briggs. “I tried swimming but it cost $36 a month and it meant I had to cut back on my favorite pizza and Chinese takeout.”
Briggs is unemployed, receives $32,189.20 in benefits a year, and lives in public housing with her two children by different fathers; she pays nothing for home expenses. Including housing, healthcare, and miscellaneous reimbursements, Briggs receives more than $62,000 a year in total government assistance.
She left school as a teenager after she got pregnant with her daughter following a one night stand.
Briggs said the family feasts everyday on takeout, chocolate, and chips because they can’t afford low fat foods.
She has been warned by her doctor that her health is in danger because of her size, but she insists it’s not her fault. “Healthy food is too expensive,” said Briggs.
She feels her only hope is for the government to give her more money so she can afford to buy fruit, vegetables, and maybe join a gym.
“I should be paid to lose weight because that would give me the motivation to fight the flab,” she said. “If the price of healthy food was lower that would help. I need help, but I need it from the government.”
She added that she can’t get a job to earn more money because she’s needed at home to care for her children. “Especially because my daughter has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and issues with her kidneys,” said Briggs.
Briggs said, “There’s no way I could get a job. I don’t feel bad about the taxpayer funding my life and my child’s medical problems, because I don’t treat myself or buy anything excessive. I just get enough money to live on – the taxpayers should help fund my diet.”