A 26-year-old Universal Credit claimant says she has been the target of a mass reporting campaign to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) following a series of provocative videos posted on TikTok.
'Benefit Queen' Provokes Backlash Online
Ebony Wood, who describes herself as a 'benefit Queen', sparked widespread anger after posting content mocking people in traditional employment. In one clip, she wrote: 'POV: You’re working 40 hours a week while I get paid more to stay home.'
She directly addressed those in 9-to-5 jobs, stating: 'If you work a 9 to 5, you’re gonna love what I gotta say – listen, I deserve benefits full stop. I didn’t ask to be born so why should I work? You get me?' In further comments, she claimed to get 'double sat on my bum watching Loose Women' and asserted that 'respectfully, if you work, you’re dumb.'
Public Reaction and DWP Reports
The videos, widely seen as 'ragebait', prompted a fierce public response. Ebony Wood claimed the backlash led viewers to 'mass report' her to the welfare authorities. She declared herself 'officially the UK’s top villain.'
Social media criticism was swift and severe. One commenter branded her 'disgusting' and 'arrogant,' while another said she should be 'ashamed.' A typical response read: 'You should be ashamed of yourself, you don’t deserve any benefit whatsoever.' Others told her it was 'time to get a job' and that the 'benefits life is not living…'
Broader Political Context of Welfare Reform
This incident occurs against a backdrop of intense political debate about the UK's welfare system. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has recently stated that the DWP system is 'trapping young people out of work' and advocated for removing the 'incentives' he believes are holding them back.
Simultaneously, a separate political row has emerged over public finances. According to a report in The Times, senior ministers have accused the Chancellor and the Prime Minister of misleading the Cabinet regarding a hole in the forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). One Cabinet minister was quoted saying the handling of the recent Budget had been 'a disaster from start to finish.'
