A mother has reportedly hit out at former Gravesend benefits mum of 12 Cheryl Prudham amid claims she is giving 'hard-working' families a bad reputation.
Bournemouth mum of 13 Tracy Lewis has reportedly criticised the Prudham family, who receive £45,000 a year in benefits, claiming Mrs Prudham is setting a bad example to her children by relying on taxpayer cash.
Speaking to the Sun newspaper, Mrs Lewis said: "It’s disgusting that Cheryl claims so much in benefits. She is setting her children a bad example and they will end up copying her, producing another generation who rely on benefits.
“We chose to have lots of children but we don’t expect the taxpayer to support us, we are too proud. We have worked hard and taught our children to do the same.
“My eldest children all work. I’ve brought up a family of grafters and that will be passed down to the next generation — who are appearing thick and fast.”
Cheryl and Rob Prudham pictured with nine of 12 children.
Mrs Lewis told the newspaper that both her and husband Pete, 55, have continually worked and scrimped to bring up their 12 daughters and son without benefits.
She told the Sun: “People like Cheryl should have her benefits cut to give them more of an incentive to work. She boasts about designer gear and foreign holidays and that angers people like me, who pay their taxes.
“When all my children were living at home we never had any money left for holidays or luxuries.
“These families give us a bad name. People often assume that because we have so many children, we rake in benefits. It makes me angry.”
Mrs Prudham, 33, gave birth to her 12th child Tillie-Grace Ellen in June by caesarean because she claims she is "too posh to push".
She told the Sunday People: "I don’t like natural labour – it’s too painful and I’ve done it nine times.
"It’s so much easier to have a caesarean. Some celebrities say they are too posh to push so why can’t I?"
The Prudhams welcomed the arrival of twin girls Lacey-May and Lexi-Rose, in August last year and also have Leon, four, Lenny, three, and Lainey, two.
Mrs Prudham is mum to George, 14, Jack, 13, Caitlin, nine, Maisie, eight, Millie, six, and Madison, six, from previous relationships.
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