We’re a family-of-7 living in a 2-bed council house…people think I’m jobless, living off benefits & can’t afford my kids
A MOTHER has revealed that her family-of-seven live in a two-bedroom council house.
As a result, Lauren and her fiancé Chris, who both have two children from previous relationships, and one child they share, have been accused of being ‘jobless’.
Not only this, but Lauren and Chris, who sleep in the living room in their home, have even been criticised as ‘living off benefits’.
But Lauren, the content creator who has 21,400 followers on TikTok, was eager to silence the nasty haters, as she set the record straight on her situation.
Posting on social media, the mother questioned: “Do people not realise that council house does not always equal jobless and living off benefits?”
Lauren expressed that people will say “wild” things to her, just because she lives in a council property.
Despite her living situation, Lauren shared: “Me and my partner are working extremely hard to get ourselves out of this situation.
“We’re saving up for a deposit to buy a bigger house and people still think that we can’t afford the kids we’ve got.
“I know this situation isn’t ideal, but just because we live in a council house, that doesn’t mean you know our financial situation.”
Lauren revealed that she and her family have lived in their council house for the past 10 years.
She recognised that at “any point in that time” they could have moved out into a privately rented house.
But she recognised that if they did so, they would be paying “three times” more than what they are paying now.
Not only this, but if they did rent privately, it would mean they would “never be able to save up to buy a house” and potentially may have to deal “with rubbish landlords and the risk of being evicted.”
Keen to silence the keyboard warriors, Lauren shared: “Also, we are a blended family, so I didn’t pop five kids out knowing we didn’t have space for them – our kids are not suffering, we’ve made this space work in the meantime and they are going to see how hard their parents can work and hopefully be proud of us one day.”
Where to find parental support
NSPCC – Offers support for parents, from helping to get babies to sleep, bonding with your baby, managing family life, dealing with bullying and even parental mental health.
Action For Children – Offers a parenting programme “to help parents and children bond, learn, or overcome difficulties”.
Family Lives – Call free on 0808 800 2222 for emotional support, information, advice and guidance on any aspect of parenting and family life.
Social media users react
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @laurenamyt, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 98,800 views, 5,203 likes and 166 comments.
Social media users were eager to support the busy mother and many eagerly flocked to the comments to share the love.
Don’t worry about what others say. Everyone’s just doing what they can
TikTok user
One person said: “I started out in a council flat and I saved and bought a house. It’s hard but not impossible. You got this girl.”
Another added: “I live in a council house. Both myself and my partner work full time. We are so lucky to have this house. Some people have no idea.”
A third commented: “The council is such better stability than private rented when you have kids as-well. I don’t understand people hating.”
Why people keep churning kids out when they don’t have enough room I’ll never know
TikTok user
Meanwhile, someone else penned: “Don’t worry about what others say. Everyone’s just doing what they can. I have 7 kids in a 2 bedroom council house…. I don’t want to move as 2 of my children were born here.”
But despite the support, not everyone was as kind, as one mean troll slammed: “No one is judging you for having a council house, they’re judging you for having 5 kids in a 2 bed house.”
At the same time, another nasty hater rudely wrote: “Why people keep churning kids out when they don’t have enough room I’ll never know.”
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How to do your council house up on the cheap
- Take inspiration from pricier shops and head to B&M, Home Bargains for interior decorations.
- Head to YouTube for easy to follow tutorials on how to decorate rather than paying for professionals.
- For a quick glow-up for your floors or anywhere with tiles, opt for stick-on vinyl to save on costs.
- A lick of paint does wonders to make a room feel brand-new.
- Switch out kitchen cupboard knobs for modern ones instead of buying brand-new cupboards