Rumours are rife that the alleged kidnapper of 9yr old Shannon Matthews had made a claim for housing benefit in respect of the divan bed that the youngster was living in.
The claim sought rent in the region of £10 per week. The divan bed had previously been home to a family of migrant workers from Belarus.
It is thought that police were alerted to the claim which eventually led to them finding Shannon following a query relating to heating and lighting of the under bed space.
Apparently this is quite common, one claims advisor suggests that many people supplement their 'income' by renting out furniture.
A government spokesperson in a statement today said "We have been exploring the opportunities for hollow furniture to become affordable social housing for some time, this episode will enable us to take things a step further."
