Benefits man who’s lived on handouts for 20 years admits he’s splurged half of his £4,500 ‘house moving money’ from the council on DJ EQUIPMENT

A MAN who has been on benefits for most of his adult life spent half a council grant meant to help him move house on DJ EQUIPMENT so he could follow his dream.

Alex, 47, comes from Bradford and he's been on and off benefits for the last 20 years.

At the moment he received £130 Job Seeker's Allowance every two weeks, and he was also given £4,500 when he needed to move home.

However, he decided some of the handout could be put to better use.

"I thought I'm never going to have this money again, so either waste it or buy something that I enjoy, so I bought my decks," he said in Channel 5 show On Benefits: Life on the Dole.

"I've been dreaming of being a DJ since I was a kid.

"People from my kind of background don't have the opportunity to do it, so I'm just trying to create that opportunity for myself basically."

It could be argued he's a little old to try his hand at a new career, but Alex is determined to follow his dreams.

"People work hard to get cars. One day I could sell a few pictures and DJ and spend some of the money there," he said after seeing a car showroom.

"I've only got one life so am going to keep chasing my dream."

Alex has always had grand ambitions.

When he was younger he hoped to become an artist and looked up to Banksy, but it didn't work out.

He's been receiving benefits for the last two years, including £90 housing benefit a week.

"I used to see people on dole as scroungers and it wasn't until I was on dole myself that I realised they have no choice," he said.

"It's a bit sad that at 47 I'm being offered a job at McDonald's when I've got loads of skills I could offer companies and that.

"I've been trained as a steeplejack and done building and roofing and all sorts."

On Benefits: Life on the Dole airs on Channel 5 at 8pm on July 21.