That is more than a nurse's starting wage and the same salary as a teacher

An unemployed 32-stone woman receives £18,000 a year in benefits because she claims her weight-related illness makes her a danger to the public.

Morbidly obese Rochelle Coulson suffers from sleep apnoea - a condition often linked to obesity - which she says leaves her so tired that she falls asleep unexpectedly.

The 21-year-old, who put on 13 stone in four years by eating through 'boredom', has not worked for five years because she says she would be a 'danger' in the workplace.

Pressure group the Taxpayers' Alliance has now warned that the benefit system should not become a 'comfort blanket' and that people should 'get themselves in shape' to work.

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Morbidly obese Rochelle Coulson (left and right) claims £18,000 in benefits because she suffers from sleep apnoea - a condition often linked to excessive weight - which leaves her so tired that she can't stay awake

Ms Coulson told MailOnline: 'I can't work because of my condition. If I was sat in an office, I would just fall asleep and the manager will end up sacking me.

'It's not just that, but I could make something go wrong, couldn't I? By falling asleep and making a mistake. Who knows what buttons I would press or what would happen? It wouldn't be fair on my colleagues.'

Doctors have now warned Ms Coulson that she needs to lose weight to cure her condition - but she says she needs a state-funded support worker to write her meal plans.

Instead, she continues to claim £18,712 a year in benefits - the equivalent of a £22,000 taxable salary - which is more than a nurse's starting wage and the same pay as a newly-qualified teacher.

She added: 'I would love to have a job, I didn't chose to be like this. But I can't. I'm too dangerous. I can't do anything if I'm falling asleep the whole time.'

Ms Coulson, who lives alone in New Milton, Hampshire, said she has always battled with her weight. However, her weight spiralled out of control after she left home four years ago.

Unable to get a job due to being signed off with depression, the young woman started eating up to ten packs of crisps per day because she was 'bored'.

She would also have an evening takeaway - and had soon put on 13 stone.

Ms Coulson, pictured with her mother Lynda, 50, says she would like to work if she were able to do so

Doctors have now warned Ms Coulson that she needs to lose weight to cure her condition - but she says she can only do that with a state-funded support worker to help her write meal plans

She said: 'I developed depression and that just made me eat more. I would have takeaways most nights. I ate a lot, including chocolate and crisps. It was a way of coping.'

Sleep apnoea is a condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, which interrupts normal breathing and can stop someone getting a decent night's sleep.

Ms Coulson, who is 5ft 6in, claims the condition leaves her so tired that she cannot travel to work, incase she drifts off to sleep and misses her bus stop.

She also says she is not allowed to drive incase she nods off at the wheel.

HOW ROCHELLE COULSON EARNS £18,000 PER YEAR WITHOUT A JOB Rochelle Coulson is entitled to a raft of benefits every month which means she has not had to work for five years. Every month she is entitled to: £411 in Personal Independence Payment per month: PIP is given to people with the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability. It is based on how the condition affects the person, as opposed to the condition itself;

£269 Employment and Support Allowance per fortnight: ESA is given to those who are unable to work follow a Work Capability Assessment;

£135 in housing benefit per week: Housing benefit is when those on a low income are given finacial help for all or part of their rent. Total: £18, 712 Advertisement

The 21-year-old is supposed to use a Continuous Positive Air Pressure machine (CPAP) to help her sleep during the night. But she decided not to use it because she claims she cannot travel to the doctors for a check-up.

She has also been offered half-price gym membership by the NHS to help her lose weight - but says she cannot use it because it is too painful to walk.

Despite this, Ms Coulson says the NHS could be doing a lot more to help her.

She said: 'Yes I do feel there is more out there to help me and the NHS could have done better.

'They haven't done enough to help me tackle my weight. It would be nice to have a check-up each week, or month, when me and the doctor sit down and write a meal plan. Or they could try and get me a support worker.

'I am supposed to have a CPAP machine to help but I do not use it because I can't get back to hospital for a check-up.

'I can't go to hospital because I can't go on public transport as I will fall asleep and my mum can't always be there with me. I can't drive either because of my condition.'

Ms Coulson said she started applying for jobs when she first finished college at the age of 18. But she was soon diagnosed with depression and told she was not capable of working.

In December 2012, she was then diagnosed with sleep apnoea. Now, she claims she can drop off to sleep unexpectedly for up to six hours per day, meaning she relies on repeat sick notes to claim her state handouts.

But in June last year, Ms Coulson was struck off from a GP surgery when her mother Lynda, 50, asked for a three-month note which the doctor refused.

When the doctor offered to give her a one-month note instead, the pair were banned for being 'verbally abusive'. Ms Coulson then had to be 'interviewed' before being rejected by another surgery.

In November, she was finally signed off for five months, after signing up to her third GP.

The 21-year-old, who spends her days playing on Facebook, has not had a job for five years because she says she cannot stay awake

This healthy meal of carrots, potatoes, chicken and salad, recently posted by Ms Coulson, is an alternative to her usual takeaways and crisps

In total, Ms Coulson gets £411 in Personal Independence Payment a month, as well as £260 Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) a fortnight. Her £135 a week rent is also covered through housing benefit.

Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: 'The benefit system is a valuable safety net, and those with genuine conditions must of course be caught by it, but it can never become a comfort blanket and we must ask individuals to get themselves in shape to work.

'Taxpayers cannot afford to support individuals who simply choose not to work, so the authorities must be strict about who is deemed 'fit to work' or not. Ultimately, the benefit system has to encourage people to take responsibility for themselves.'

Ms Coulson is now trying to lose weight by swapping her takeaways for healthy alternatives. She hopes that by losing some weight that she will be able to become more active.

EVERY YEAR MS COULSON'S BENEFITS EARN HER £18,712 TAX FREE - THE SAME AS MANY PROFESSIONS INCLUDING A NURSE, BINMAN AND TEACHER Nurse starting salary: £21,388. This job requires students to complete a three-year degree at university. Nurses then work a complex shift pattern, including weekends, evenings and nights. Teacher starting salary: £22,023. This requires the person to complete an undergraduate degree - usually three years long - and a one-year PGCE. Alternatively, the trainee teacher can complete an intensive year-long school-centred initial teacher training course on the job (SCITT). Care home worker: Between £14,000 and £18,000. This usually requires someone to complete a diploma in health and social care, as well as to undertake training and courses while on the job. Advertisement

She said: 'At the moment, it's hard for me to do everyday things like getting out of bed. The hardest is getting out of my mum's couch. It hurts my hips to lift myself out, because the sofa is broken due to my weight.

'My back also can't cope with standing for too long because of my weight, which means it very painful to walk.'

She added: 'I'm dropping things like crisps and chocolate and replacing it with low fat Greek yoghurt. I used to eat takeaways on a regular basis but now I don't.

'Once I've shifted some, I can hopefully get out a little more.'

Ms Coulson also said she had a blood test last week which showed she is borderline diabetic and has an underactive thyroid, for which she is now taking medication.

A DWP spokesman said: 'Being obese in itself does not entitle a person to disability benefits, although the associated long-term health effects may.

'Decisions on whether a person is entitled to disability benefits are based on thorough assessments and consideration of any medical evidence, including from their GP.'