A couple with 10 children who claim £50,000 a year in benefits have defended themselves, saying that they want to go to work but the system makes it difficult.
Stephanie Fennessy and her boyfriend Ian Sharp, who live in Erith, south east London, told ITV1's Daybreak blame the government for their unemployment.
Miss Fennessy told Garraway: "We have both paid taxes in the past. We are not at the moment. I want to come off the benefits. I want to work full-time.
"It's the system. It's somewhere higher up in the government that's stopped me from doing it."
Miss Fennessy and Mr Sharp with their family: they wanted to get their side of the story across they told ITV's Daybreak
Miss Fennessy, 29, who has three children, and Mr Sharp, who is a 56-year-old father of seven, told the presenters they were not happy with the way they had been portrayed and wanted a chance to tell their side of the story.
Miss Fennessy said she previously worked full-time, including when her eldest son was young, because she needed to pay her mortgage. She defended her partner who has worked for over 20 years.
She said: "Ian has worked full-time. Ian has paid lots of tax. We are not currently working now.
"I gave up work before I met Ian. I had three children under five and I could not work under childcare.
"The plan has been, for the last 18 months, I want to go to work. However, I cannot afford to get a job which covers my rent, my council tax and my bills."
Mr Sharp told presenter Kate Garraway he had been unable to work since collapsing at a welding machine with a migraine 20 years ago. He said that every two to three weeks the migraines left him bed-ridden.
He said: "I worked from 1969 straight through to 1992. I was made to give my job up because it was too dangerous."
He defended his partner by saying she was working voluntarily for 40 hours a week in a charity shop to gain experience so she could get a job.
He said if they were given a housing association home for £400 a month rent, they would be able to come off benefits, but he said the council paid their private rent on their five-bedroom home straight to the landlord.
Miss Fennessy and Mr Sharp and their family outside their home
John Stapleton, who also presents ITV's Daybreak, told the couple that many people found it an affront that they were able to claim so much money off the state.
Miss Fennessy replied: "I understand why people are angry. If I had a council house, my rent would be £400 a month and I could pay that. I need someone to help me come off the benefits system."
When Garraway asked if the couple were worried about their children seeing them living off benefits, Mr Sharp said the children believed that Miss Fennessy was paid for her charity work.
He said they all attend school, none of them roam the streets and one even wants to be a doctor.
Miss Fennessy added: "The children can see we are struggling on benefits and that's not what I want for my children."