Note: we are republishing this story, which originally made the news in May 2015.

Mandy Cowie’s Bold Goal: 50 Grandkids and Lifelong Welfare

Mandy Cowie, a 49-year-old mother from Britain, has made headlines for proudly living off government assistance for over 30 years. Her ambition? To become the matriarch of the biggest benefits family in the UK by having 50 grandchildren.

A Life Funded by Welfare

Cowie has 10 children by five different men and currently receives over $34,000 annually in government benefits. She admits to spending at least $3,000 on tattoos, covering much of her body.

“Ten kids and full of tattoos, mate,” Cowie says unapologetically.

She made it clear she has no intention of changing her lifestyle:

“So what if I’m on the effing dole, mate. Don’t like it, eff off. I had my first one at 18 and my last at 36. I’ve told them I want 50 grandkids before I die.”

Generations on Benefits

Cowie already has 16 grandchildren and actively encourages her children to follow in her footsteps. Her lifestyle will be featured on the TV show Britain’s Biggest Benefits Family, which highlights households that live entirely on welfare and embrace it.

Mandy Cowie looking into the camera mid sentence, Photo Credit: Daily Mail
Mandy Cowie looking into the camera mid sentence, Photo Credit: Daily Mail

Questionable Parenting Choices

Cowie admits to allowing her 13-year-old daughter to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol at home—as a reward for good behavior. She defends her parenting and her reliance on government assistance:

“People may be shocked I’ve been on benefits so long, but I don’t care. I can’t work because of the kids. The pregnancies weren’t planned, but I love having a big family.”

She adds:

“Honestly, I probably wouldn’t get a job that pays what I receive now. People might judge, but if it’s there, who wouldn’t take it?”

Inside Her Household

Today, three of Cowie’s children still live with her, while the rest have moved out. She collects child tax credits, child benefits, disability payments, and jobseeker’s allowance.

Her daughter Cristal, 24, has learned the tricks of the system too:

“I’m still with the baby’s dad, but he doesn’t live at my house. If we lived together, our benefits would be cut, so we stay in separate houses.”

A National Issue
According to Express, the British government spends over $201 million annually on benefits for 27,000 large families. Cowie’s family is just one example of how some have built entire lifestyles around public assistance.