Fetch My Nano-Violin!

A grandmother had her housing benefit stopped after council officers discovered she owned a £170,000 holiday home in Spain. Zena Cooper, 60, did not tell Basildon Council about the house when she applied for benefits in April 2011.

Caught bang to rights, no excuses, throw yourself on the mercy of the court and…

Oh.

Despite admitting owning the Spanish home, Mrs Cooper is furious her benefit has been stopped.

Err….

She said she desperately needs the money as she was given custody of her six year-old grandson in September. He has special needs and stays at a boarding school from Monday to Friday.

We aren’t told why she was given custody, or where the parents are…

Mrs Cooper said: “Social services said I need a two-bedroom place because of my grandson, but the council won’t help me.

“They said as I have a house in Spain worth more than £16,000 it is classed as savings and I am not eligible.

“I have had it up for sale for two years, but not one person has been interested because the market has crashed in Spain.

“It’s no use to me if I can’t sell it.”

You can't sell it at all? Or you can't sell it at the price you think it's worth?

Basildon Council told the Echo it was made aware of her Spanish home a number of years ago. Officers worked with the Department of Work and Pensions to give Mrs Cooper a “period of grace” to sell up but this has come to an end.

'A number of years', eh? How oddly unspecific...

“I can’t work now because I look after my grandson because of his special needs. I’m just so angry.

“I’m going to write to the Queen about it.”

I don't think she'll take it off your hands...