A Roma gypsy says he is using the £14,000 he has received in benefits to create a lavish house in his homeland. Ion Lazar boasts that British handouts are funding the refurbishment of the property in the village of Argetoaia in southern Romania. He said: 'I know the benefit I can make very easily in England. It's coming in benefits. It's like free money, thank you England.' Scroll down for video Scandal: Ion Lazer, outside his house in Romania which he is rebuilding with money taken in British benefits Proud: Mr Lazar surveys his family home in the village of Argetoaia in southern Romania
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Ion Lazar says handouts are funding  the property in a Romanian village
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The 36-year-old said: 'It's like free money, thank you England'
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The part-time scrap metal dealer receives £1,700 in benefits a month
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An earlier version of this article said that Mr Lazar had claimed £60,000 in benefits. In fact, Mr Lazar stated that he hoped to collect £60,000 in benefits during his first two to three years in the UK, and claimed to have collected approximately £14,000 during his first 11 months in the UK. We are happy to clarify this.
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Mr Lazar came to the Britain with five other immigrants when the work restrictions on @placeholder were lifted in January
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He added: 'I know it's very, very easy to take benefits in @placeholder… She's give me home free, she's give me money free, she's give me everything.'