If it takes an annual salary of £20,000 to get a single-parent family off State benefits (Letters, October 29), they have been well overpaid.

As a single person, I got £91 a fortnight. As for firefighters, they should try any cleaning job, portering or care work - £21,000 a year would suddenly seem very attractive.

It costs me the same money for a loaf of bread as them.

-D Rowland, Powis Grove, Brighton