A mother once labelled a 'Benefits Queen' for receiving £60,000 a year in state support has expressed shock and anger at a major welfare policy shift by the new Labour government.
From Benefits to Business Owner
Cheryl Drew, 43, who no longer claims any state support beyond standard child benefit, has built a new life as a business owner. She runs three beauty salons in North Wales, specialising in tattoo removal, piercings, and aesthetic treatments, and lives in a ten-bedroom house.
Her previous notoriety stemmed from featuring in a Channel 5 documentary titled Benefits: Britain’s Most Shameless Mum, where she and her then-husband boasted of their £60,000 annual benefits claim. She is now a mother of 15.
Criticising the Chancellor's 'Backwards' Move
Ms Drew has strongly criticised Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Prime Minister Keir Starmer for their decision to abolish the two-child benefit cap, a change set to take effect from April 2026.
"Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves need to do the country a favour and change that stupid Budget. Handouts don't always help," she said. "I can't believe what Rachel Reeves has done. She's going backwards, not moving mums forwards."
She argues that the policy, introduced by former Chancellor George Osborne, provided a motivation for parents to seek work and build a career. According to reports, she is furious that the Chancellor is "giving in" and removing that incentive for other mothers.
A Message to Other Parents
Close friends of Ms Drew say her transformation has given her a sense of pride she wants others to experience. "It’s clear Cheryl is finally proud of herself and so she should be. I know she wants other mums who are like she was, to have that feeling. To know they are paying their way," they said.
They added that her journey to work has inspired her children, but warned: "But that’s not going to happen if the Government makes them richer by staying at home to have more babies. It’s not fair because these decisions can make or break lives."
The debate highlights the ongoing tension in welfare policy between providing a safety net and creating incentives for employment, a challenge now facing the Labour government.
