I’m a council house mum but my girl,11, gets £500-a-month pocket money – I’m trolled but she needs designer shoes
A MUM that lives in a council house has revealed that she lets her 11 year old have a bank card, and gives her £500 a month in pocket money.
Whitney Ainscough, 30, lives Rotherham, with her three kids, and partner Joel Christopher.
She often shares details of her life via videos posted to social media, and, in a recent TikTok video, shared that people think she’s “absolutely mad” for loading half a grand on to her eldest daughter Cora’s bank card each month.
Whitney explained that her daughter can buy anything she likes with the money, whether that be getting acrylic nails done, or buying designer shoes.
The mum of three said: “I personally don’t see the problem.
“If I can afford to do that, then why not”.
Whitney explained that she monitors what Cora buys to make sure the money isn’t being spent on things it shouldn’t be.
She said that she never had anything like this when she was growing up but is now in a good financial state, where she can afford to treat her children.
The mum said that when her other children, sons Addison, five, and Adley, two get older, she plans to also give them bank cards, loaded with the same amount of cash.
Whitney explained that by doing this, she is helping her children to see the value of money, and giving them more financial responsibility.
Previously, Whitney revealed that her 11-year-old has a £1000 iPhone 14, and turned up to school in £100 Vivienne Westwood shoes and a £230 Michael Kors bag.
Just a few months ago, Whitney was on Universal Credit, but the mum, who styles herself as @itsmebadmom, now makes thousands of pounds a month from making TikTok videos.
In a previous interview, Whitney exclusively told Fabulous that she made £17,000 in February, despite still living in a council house.
She explained that she came of benefits in August, and is not committing benefit fraud.
The mum said: “I’m not fleecing the taxpayer, something I have been accused of by followers on TikTok. I am not committing benefit fraud.
“I was legally entitled to Universal Credit and I’ve paid into the system for many years.
“And after on one occasion making more than £2,000 in a week through my TikTok videos, I’ve now come off benefits and make an average of £800 a week.”
Average UK pocket money
According to Statista, the average amount of pocket money given to children in 2023 was £5 a week, or £20 a month.
This has dropped since before the pandemic, with the average weekly amount being £7.70 back in 2019.
Children often earn pocket money for doing chores around the home, and in 2021, washing the car was the biggest money maker, earning kids around £3.
Whitney’s video has likely left many people open-mouthed as it has racked up a whopping 384,000 views on the video sharing platform.
TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to share their thoughts, with some suggesting the money is excessive.
One person said: “Jesus my 14 year old gets £60 a month!
“We live a very fortunate life but that seems very excessive! What’s her incentive to go get a job at 16?”
Another person said: “Buy her what she really needs and put the rest in a savings account.
“It will be more beneficial when she grows up.”
A third said: “This seems excessive, maybe £100 at her age and more as she gets older”.
A fourth added: “When she’s 15 she’ll want £2000!”
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