An obese benefits scrounger says he is too fat to work - except for four weeks a year where he uses his bulk to play Father Christmas.

Twenty-six stone Archie, from Manchester, claims £600-a-month in state handouts and has not worked full-time for six years.

His only job is pretending to be Santa Claus every December - a job he thinks is 'the best' as all he has to do is stay seated while 'telling lies to children'.

Twenty-six stone Archie, from Manchester (pictured), claims £600-a-month in state handouts and has not worked full-time for six years. His only job is pretending to be Santa Claus at festive events every December

The shameless Father Christmas is just one of several obese benefits claimants set to appear on new Channel 5 documentary, On Benefits: Life on the Dole.

In a clip released ahead of its broadcast, Archie says: 'It's the best job. There's just no other job like it. You're sat on your bum telling lies to children.

'I'm a bit of a bully as Santa: "Has he been a good boy? Has he been a good boy mum? Is it okay to bring him presents?"

'"Well he doesn't sleep in his own bed Santa. '"Woah, but you're four - you've got to sleep in your own bed," and he's looking at me like that [looks upset].

'And I say: "I'll make a deal. If you sleep in your own bed until Christmas I'll bring you lots of presents." It's great.'

He says he is so fat that even if he did succeed in slimming down he would still be large enough for his seasonal job, adding: 'I could lose 10st and still look like Father Christmas - because I am 25st!'

The shameless Father Christmas is just one of several people set to appear on new Channel 5 documentary, Obese and On Benefits. He claims £600-a-month in state handouts and has not worked full-time for six years

Archie thinks his job as Santa is 'the best' as all he has to do is stay seated while 'telling lies to children'

Archie is joined in the documentary by obese people from across Britain, who are battling poverty because they say they are too unhealthy to get a job.

A spokesman for the show said: 'They’re ordinary people cast adrift by the system and think the world is against them. People who are stuck at the bottom of the heap and striving just to get by.'

They include 'Blossom', who lives in Brighton, weighs 25st, has spent £1,000 on tattoos and has multiple health problems.

The 50-year-old has not worked for two decades and claims £325 a week in Disability Living allowance, much of which goes towards spending £3,000 a year on her car, a Kia Picanto.

Her weight has played a key role in her health and it is now feared she may have cervical cancer. However, doctors have said she’s too fat to go under general anaesthetic, putting any potential life-saving surgery on hold.

'Blossom', 50, has not worked for two decades and blames her health for her inability to find work

Gary and Gina, from Bexhill, are paid more than £10,000 a year in benefits but say they have no money

In Bexhill, Gina and Gary have been together for nearly five years and share a one-bed flat with Gina’s mother.

Together, the pair claim more than £10,000 a year in benefits but they say it is not enough, and have run into debt because of payday loans.

Gina weighs 19st is worried she has symptoms of diabetes, but claims she cannot lose weight because of her other health problems.

'The doctors did say that if I lose weight my health could be improved, but as I explained to them walking and eating dietary foods sets my IBS off,' she says.

She has been offered a gastric band but refused, saying: 'There's people out there bigger than me who need that help, so why offer it to me when I'm not that big?'

Gina cooks meals such as fried potatoes for herself and Gary most nights, but on the day when they get their benefits they splash out for a takeaway.

Unemployed Susie spends all day searching for unpaid work as a plus-size extra in films and TV

The last of the foursome is Susie, who lives in Crawley with her two cats.

Weighing 22 stone, Susie suffers from Lymphedema - a condition which means her legs and arms swell up with excess fluid, making it almost impossible to work.

She claims around £600-a-month in Employment support and disability living allowance.

Susie works as a 'plus-size' extra, appearing in the background of films and TV shows, but is not paid for the work.

She tells the show: 'I would definitely like to get in to plus-size modelling, but because I don't wear high heels I can't do the catwalk or anything like that.'