The story of the Sube family has attracted a lot of attention from people all over the world. Some see them as a burden on taxpayers, others sympathize with their plight. However, the truth lies somewhere in between. The Subes are not entirely to blame for their plight, but they could have done more to improve their situation.
For Cameron born Arnold Mballe Sube and his wife Jeanne, being in Britain was the realization of a dream for their family. However, they did not understand that achieving this goal would mean a struggle to provide for their eight children and possibly more children soon.
In their first few weeks in the country, the 33-year-old parents spent more than $20,000 on rent for a house they couldn’t afford. But they couldn’t come up with a workable budget and make the cuts to live independently.
The Subes applied for every aid program they qualified for after learning about the benefits offered to immigrants. The family soon received nearly $57,000 in annual benefits in addition to $1,656 a month in rent. However, they concluded that this was not enough to support a prosperous family of ten.
After applying for a government-funded home, Luton Borough Council provided the Sube family with three free alternative homes. They only had one thing to say to the Subes when they finally got a free 5-bedroom house to move into right away.
A family of 10 was given a gorgeous 5-bedroom house for free but turned it down because they thought it would be too “cramped”. But they argued that taxpayers should give them a house that is significantly bigger, more than twice what they got, and has at least six bedrooms that are twice the size of their children.
The council made three further attempts to grant their request and each time gave them a larger dwelling. In the end, the family was given a choice between choosing a house and getting their own. The Subes reluctantly accepted the offer, choosing a $551,300 home in an upscale neighborhood. Later, Arnold Mballe Sube stated that this was the absolute minimum the country could do for him.
Their new home includes a detached house with four double bedrooms, a utility room, a garage, a yard, and a driveway; the annual rent for this house is roughly $19,000. The Subes have eight children and believe they have enough room for them but have not ruled out having more.
Referred to by neighborhood residents as a “beautiful estate,” the residence is located in a highly sought-after urban neighborhood. The decision has outraged the community, who say it is “unfair” that the family can move despite their low income.
The case has also caught the attention of lawmakers, especially those seeking to reform Social Security and relieve already overburdened taxpayers. Conservative MP for Luton David Morris slammed the choice and slammed the council for allowing people to abuse the system.
The Subes happily accepted several taxpayer-funded donations in addition to their $500,000 home. Arnold will receive $35,000 to complete his three-year psychiatric program. In addition, they received four months of free accommodation at the Hampton by Hilton in Luton while they searched for a home, costing taxpayers just under $50,000 in rent and room service.
Some newspapers had to retract their original reports because the Sube family found them inaccurate and disrespectful. Arnold claimed that despite working two jobs in the past, he was still unable to support his eight children. He claimed that by asking the authorities for a bigger house, he was only exercising his legal rights. The Mirror was additionally ordered to enter into a financial settlement with Subes and pay them a “confidential settlement amount plus their fair legal fees.”
The Sube family feels entitled to every penny they have received from taxpayers. In addition, they did not rule out the possibility of having more children in the future. For now, we can only assume that a family of ten is doing well on welfare, while families with harder jobs struggle to support a less luxurious lifestyle.
The story of the Subes also sparked an immigration debate. Some people believe that the Subes should not have been allowed to come to the UK because they have eight children and were not financially stable. Others argue that the Subes should be allowed to build a better life for their family, regardless of their financial situation.
It’s time this family used birth control and appreciate the homes they were given.