SIR – I had no idea that there are nearly 400,000 young people under 25 years of age receiving housing benefit.

This is very difficult to understand or accept when our elderly, taxpayers for all of their lives, are given inadequate care and what they get, most have to pay for. [David] Cameron tells us that tax avoidance is morally wrong; isn’t the Government’s welfare system also morally wrong and particularly the way our elderly people are treated… or mistreated.

The way the welfare system is being abused, I would also avoid paying any tax if I knew the ropes because of the way in which nonworkers are indulged compared with those who have worked and paid taxes for all their working lives.

DOUGLAS J WATHEN
Salford Priors