英國情侶太胖不上班 政府每月補貼2千鎊
With a combined weight of 54st, they say they are ‘too fat to work’.
一對情侶體重加起來有300多公斤，他們說他們“太胖而無法工作”。But that did not stop Stephen Beer, 45, and wife Michelle, 43, being able to splash out £3,000 on their wedding – as the bill was footed by the taxpayer.
但是這並沒有阻止45歲的史蒂芬·比爾和妻子43的米歇爾花上3000英鎊來舉辦他們的婚禮，因爲這些錢全部由政府來承擔。Mr Beer, who was marrying for the sixth time, weighs 31st and had to have a suit specially made for the occasion.
新浪比爾是第6次結婚，他體重197公斤，婚禮上需要穿專門定製的禮服。
By contrast his 23st wife became a bride for the first time and wore a white gown for the registry office ceremony and church blessing that followed.
而他的妻子米歇爾體重爲148公斤，這是她第一次結婚，在婚姻登記處的典禮以及隨後的教堂儀式上，她身穿白色婚紗。The couple’s story was featured on the Channel 5 documentary Benefits: Too Fat To Work last night and viewers were shown how paramedics were called to the reception in Plymouth, Devon, before Mr Beer was taken to hospital feeling unwell.
這對情侶的事蹟被一檔電視節目製作成紀錄片--《胖到無法工作》，節目中介紹，在德文郡的普利茅斯進行的比爾、米歇爾兩人的登記典禮上，雖然有護理人員在場，但比爾仍感到不舒服，隨後被送到了醫院。The groom, who suffers from type 2 diabetes, hypertension and other problems linked to his weight, had a blood clot on the lung and instead of a honeymoon he spent nine days in hospital.
比爾由於肥胖患有二型糖尿病、高血壓等疾病，另外還有肺部血栓。其他情侶新婚後要去度蜜月，而比爾卻在醫院裏呆了9天。He can only stand for a limited period before becoming breathless and his wife said the wedding day trip to hospital was no surprise.
比爾只能站立一小會兒，否則就會喘不上氣。他的妻子米歇爾稱登記典禮那天比爾被送到醫院是意料之中的事。Mr Beer used to run a cleaning business and had to give up work six years ago following a stroke.
比爾曾經經營過一家清潔公司，但在6年前因遭受中風，之後便停止了工作。The couple receive around £1,700 a month in benefits. The rent on their one-bedroom flat is paid for by the taxpayer, and a carer comes twice daily to clean and help Mr Beer dress, but the taxpayer pays the £8,000-a-year cost.
比爾和米歇爾每個月可以領到約1700英鎊的補助。他們租住的公寓及各種費用等每年8000英鎊的花費同樣不用他們付錢，每天兩次有護工過來打掃並幫助比爾穿衣服。Mr Beer also uses a specially strengthened mobility scooter, provided at public expense.
比爾走動也必須依靠一輛專門設計的小輪車。He insists he wants a job but says no one will give him work because of his weight. And yesterday, he blamed the Government for being too generous to those on benefits.
比爾說他想要工作，但因爲他太胖沒人願意提供工作給他。他抱怨這是因爲政府的補助政策太好了。Speaking on ITV’s This Morning programme, Mr Beer said: ‘The Government is making it easy for people like us. The Government is making it easy for people on benefits.’ He said he didn’t think he deserved anything, adding: ‘I’m the one who put myself in this situation, no one else.’ However, he insisted he was now suffering from ‘prejudice’. He said he recently applied for an office job but claims he was turned down because he was too overweight.
他說：“政府對我們這樣的人提供了太大的便利。足夠的補助讓我們生活並不困難。”他覺得他並不該擁有這些補助，“是我把自己弄成這個樣子的，與其他人無關。”但是他也說他現在遭受到了“歧視”。他說他最近申請了一份辦公室的工作，但因爲太胖而遭到拒絕。Mr Beer said he became so overweight because of an addiction to food, but is now trying to sort himself out and plans to go to a boot camp later this month.
比爾說他是因爲貪吃才這麼胖的，現在他已經在嘗試規範飲食，並計劃參加減肥訓練營。The couple both attended weight loss groups and courses at public expense in the run up to the wedding.
這對情侶目前都在爲婚禮而努力瘦身中。
