Seems she’s constantly in the news for being a bit of a scumbag. I some how doubt her claims for working for so long.
Feel for the kids, but this is what happens when your mum is someone that has decided to have multiple children so they can scrounge off of benefits.
[removed]
I have an acquaintance who still refuses to believe anyone in UK is struggling unless its down to their own lack of frugality and inability to ‘live within their means’. Can you guess how she votes?
> Distressed Kelly explained her £1,271 rent for her three-bed house takes her allowances over £2,000 so money is taken off because of the benefit cap. Kelly also receives £325 standard allowance, and £520 child support, but after her rent is paid Kelly said she has £600 deducted because she claims child benefit of £35 a week, then £80 a month for two loans she took to buy a bed when they moved, and council tax she couldn’t pay.
Imagine receiving over £2000 a month for free from the government and it still not being enough.
Many people will work their entire lives and never see a monthly pay cheque that large after tax.
Could she not move somewhere cheaper and still receive the same benefits or are benefits proportionately smaller up north?
How is buying candles cheaper than using led lighting? There is no way even with the electricity costs as they are that it’s cheaper to use candles to light your house.
Who is getting the £1300 a month? I mean yeah she may be getting all this money, but the real question should be who actually is getting most of this free government money, it certainly isn’t the lady in the article and they certainly aren’t doing anything that either to ‘earn it’.
I feel for her and her children, but 2k per month is hardly a pittance.
I’d wager the average U.K. take home pay is less than that. I know she has children to look after and lives in an expensive part of the country, but being given above the average U.K. salary in benefits is hardly likely to be popular, or sustainable in the long term.
Universal Credit covers her £1,300 monthly rental and a few other costs.
Cheeky bitch.
The truth about just how badly the UK economy has been fucked-up is being understated. I’ve lived in France for 22 years and this year I have seen my electricity bill go up by about 15% and petrol about 10%. That’s it, nothing else. The French gov. reduced the tax on petrol/diesel by 15% because – why wouldn’t you? I talk to friends at home and they have not turned their heating on this winter. I can’t believe how far the living standards have dropped and why there are no demonstrations on the streets.
The numbers presented in the article don’t accurately reflect the money she has coming in. I don’t quite see how we get to the £161 a month left over.
It lists the benefits she is entitled to and receives, but then because of the benefit cap money is deducted.
Multiplied by 52 weeks in the year gives £20,000.24 which divided by 12 to get a monthly figure gives £1666.68 per month gross income.
The problem here is of course the rent of £1271 a month, presumably going to a private landlord.
That leaves £395 a month for all other bills, food, clothes etc which I still think is going to be really tough with 2 kids, rising energy and food bills.
If anyone can give a better and more accurate breakdown of the benefits received then please go for it. I saw a lot of people interpret the article to say she’s getting over £2000 a month and the way I’ve interpreted it (considering the benefit cap) that’s just not true.
I think the article has deliberately written it in an unclear fashion to further sow seeds of division and cause arguments online and offline.
Where’s the Children’s father? What’s he doing to support his children?
This comment section is almost exactly what you’d find in the Daily Mail comment section.
Using candles is the most unefficent way to heat anything… Maybe she should stop wasting money on candles and purchase a proper means of heating
Why is she paying £80 a month for a bed loan? Why is she paying council tax debts when she’s on UC? Something isn’t adding up here.
Lol. What a joke. And they expect us to empathise with these people? She pays £80 for two loans which supposedly were for buying a bed… BS. A bed costs £50-£100 down the local heart Foundation shop, why did she take out such a huge loan for one item?! Madness. This is entirely self-inflicted. She also earns more than most people do working 40 hour weeks. £1300+ on rent? Time to move to an area that is within her means.
She rents private 100%. No way on earth she would be paying out that much in rent for social housing.
£1300 a month rent paid for by the state! Not a bad gig! I don’t think he budget is is excessively restrictive! She is at home 24/7 so no commuting or childcare costs! Not sure what else she can expect!
>And, although Universal Credit covers her £1,300 monthly rental and a few other costs…. …. …. Distressed Kelly explained her £1,271 rent for her three-bed house takes her allowances over £2,000 so money is taken off because of the benefit cap. Kelly also receives £325 standard allowance, and £520 child support, but after her rent is paid Kelly said she has £600 deducted because she claims child benefit of £35 a week, then £80 a month for two loans she took to buy a bed when they moved, and council tax she couldn’t pay.
What I find weird about her situation is that she seemingly earns more in benefits than some single mothers I know that actually work full-time in NMW jobs! Crazy!
She needs to move somewhere with cheaper rent. £1200 is a lot to pay on rent. Her benifits are cut back because of the benifits cap of £2000 which is a lot more than many people earn on a full time job.
Well looks to me like she’s been on benefits her whole life, couldn’t have been that hard up in the past as she managed to become an alcoholic …. those terrible Tories …. still she managed to be a drunk sponger during a labour government so that’s all right then.
I remember growing up when I used to go to my dad’s he would often say he wasn’t hungry or that he’ll eat later. Didn’t realise till after he died that actually he was really broke and was making sure his kids got to eat.
Boo hoo too many free loaders in this country, why should we the tax payer support other people and their children. I have two children rent, bills to pay but I work hard and eat properly spending £50 a week on food. What a joke….
As a single mum myself who lives in a shit area im going to be honest. I do see why people comment how they do. There are two sides to people on benefits. I worked from my boy being 6 months. Part time at first, and now hes 6 I work full time. Im lucky enough now to be fully off benefits and able to give him a nice life. I still don’t smoke, drink, walk everywhere and shop at Aldi.
Im paranoid about being skint again and save like mad for a rainy day.
Some of the mums at school have zero intention of working ever and are very vocal about it. They smoke, drink, get loads of expensive stuff on credit and piss their money up the wall. As soon as they get a sniff that you aren’t skint yourself, they always ask for a borrow.
I did need benefits for 4 years, ive worked really hard and I don’t now. Im lucky enough to have the skills to earn more. I know not everyone has that.
I was determined though.
I feel so sorry for a lot of 2 parent families who aren’t entitled to anything, working their arses off, paying for childcare etc and they are so skint.
The system is fucked. There aren’t enough social housing.
I rent privately and im scared to move because the prices have gone up so much. I could afford to, but I’ll never live anywhere near my means.
I do think a lot of people on benefits are depressed, hence the drinking etc but the system doesn’t help at all. I hated being tarred with that brush, but I would of been screwed without that help.
Something seems off with this article as many others have mentioned in the comments, why am I not surprised this happened in Slough…
Why is her rent so high? “£1,271 rent for her three-bed house” is madness for someone that can’t afford to eat, that’s more than what I pay, she needs to downsize because the landlord is taking her for a ride.
Why is she using candles? They are expensive compared to LED lighting or even a rechargeable torch. Also, even if you don’t use electricity now, you still pay a lot because of the standing daily rate, you might as well pay the extra few pence for lighting.
Why did she take out a loan to pay bills? (never do this, it will only make things worse).
Why did she take out a loan for a bed of all things? She could have placed the mattress on the floor. (possibly could afford it when she had a job?).
There was no mentions of food banks to feed herself.
Why does she have a 3 bed house then all sleep in 1 room?
ofc, she probably didn’t have any problems when she had a job, has she stopped looking for one?
Is she still suffering from long covid? isn’t this basically a disability? can’t she get more financial support if the doc says she can’t work?
2k in free money! Shit I’m no where near that working and seem to be better off.
Am an ICU nurse in London literally making exactly what she makes when she doesn’t even work (I don’t do night shifts so I don’t get unsociable hours benefits like that). I know the kids don’t deserve to be punished for being born into these circumstances but it’s really hard not to feel bitter about this kind of thing. I also find it difficult not to get resentful at the narrative that such people shouldn’t be expected to move to improve their prospects. My dad is the youngest son of 6 children born to factory workers from Hartlepool and moved to the South East and eventually London to improve his prospects. My mum moved from a farming community in the South West to London to improve hers. They moved out to the country to raise me and my sister and I moved back to the city to acquire more skills than I would in my home town. Why is it the working population are expected to move away from their support network to change their lifestyle but it’s not acceptable to expect the non-working population to make such a change?
I do feel deeply sorry for her, but maybe I’ve misunderstood something. Why is she living in a 3 bedroom house for £1,200 a month when there are two people? Why is she buying candles when they’re more expensive than led bulbs + electricity costs? Why buy a bed when just a mattress would do until she gets out of this rut? Why even buy a brand new new bed when people give them away for free on places like Facebook market place? There are many things wrong here. Im not denying the government needs to offer more help, but I think a little financial education would also help. It’s a crime this stuff isn’t taught in schools. I know people who get by, with kids, in London, on less money than she’s on and they do ok.
The problem is clearly two-fold. Poor financial planning and decision making and a woefully uncaring government. This makes for a critical situation for people like her.
To be clear, she gets paid more than the average salary, over £2,000 a month. She lives in a 3 bed house, and doesn’t work. Crazy opinion, but I think that’s enough. If she wants more money she should work.
All it takes is spinning a sob story and the whiners go crazy.
30 comments
> After all the deductions Kelly is left with £161 a month for utility bills, council tax, food and clothes, she said.
It’s sad to think this isn’t the only family living like this
> Universal Credit covers her £1,300 monthly rental and a few other costs, Kelly says she has around £160 a month left to live on.
Wish I could get nearly three times what I pay for my mortgage for free.
https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/10291/Mum-distraught-after-being-forced-to.html
Seems she’s constantly in the news for being a bit of a scumbag. I some how doubt her claims for working for so long.
Feel for the kids, but this is what happens when your mum is someone that has decided to have multiple children so they can scrounge off of benefits.
[removed]
I have an acquaintance who still refuses to believe anyone in UK is struggling unless its down to their own lack of frugality and inability to ‘live within their means’. Can you guess how she votes?
> Distressed Kelly explained her £1,271 rent for her three-bed house takes her allowances over £2,000 so money is taken off because of the benefit cap. Kelly also receives £325 standard allowance, and £520 child support, but after her rent is paid Kelly said she has £600 deducted because she claims child benefit of £35 a week, then £80 a month for two loans she took to buy a bed when they moved, and council tax she couldn’t pay.
Imagine receiving over £2000 a month for free from the government and it still not being enough.
Many people will work their entire lives and never see a monthly pay cheque that large after tax.
Could she not move somewhere cheaper and still receive the same benefits or are benefits proportionately smaller up north?
How is buying candles cheaper than using led lighting? There is no way even with the electricity costs as they are that it’s cheaper to use candles to light your house.
Who is getting the £1300 a month? I mean yeah she may be getting all this money, but the real question should be who actually is getting most of this free government money, it certainly isn’t the lady in the article and they certainly aren’t doing anything that either to ‘earn it’.
I feel for her and her children, but 2k per month is hardly a pittance.
I’d wager the average U.K. take home pay is less than that. I know she has children to look after and lives in an expensive part of the country, but being given above the average U.K. salary in benefits is hardly likely to be popular, or sustainable in the long term.
Universal Credit covers her £1,300 monthly rental and a few other costs.
Cheeky bitch.
The truth about just how badly the UK economy has been fucked-up is being understated. I’ve lived in France for 22 years and this year I have seen my electricity bill go up by about 15% and petrol about 10%. That’s it, nothing else. The French gov. reduced the tax on petrol/diesel by 15% because – why wouldn’t you? I talk to friends at home and they have not turned their heating on this winter. I can’t believe how far the living standards have dropped and why there are no demonstrations on the streets.
The numbers presented in the article don’t accurately reflect the money she has coming in. I don’t quite see how we get to the £161 a month left over.
It lists the benefits she is entitled to and receives, but then because of the benefit cap money is deducted.
She lives in Slough so I’ve assumed the £384.62 per week cap applies to her (https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/housing-benefit/help-with-your-housing-benefit-claim/check-if-the-benefit-cap-will-affect-your-housing-benefit/)
Multiplied by 52 weeks in the year gives £20,000.24 which divided by 12 to get a monthly figure gives £1666.68 per month gross income.
The problem here is of course the rent of £1271 a month, presumably going to a private landlord.
That leaves £395 a month for all other bills, food, clothes etc which I still think is going to be really tough with 2 kids, rising energy and food bills.
If anyone can give a better and more accurate breakdown of the benefits received then please go for it. I saw a lot of people interpret the article to say she’s getting over £2000 a month and the way I’ve interpreted it (considering the benefit cap) that’s just not true.
I think the article has deliberately written it in an unclear fashion to further sow seeds of division and cause arguments online and offline.
Where’s the Children’s father? What’s he doing to support his children?
This comment section is almost exactly what you’d find in the Daily Mail comment section.
Using candles is the most unefficent way to heat anything… Maybe she should stop wasting money on candles and purchase a proper means of heating
Why is she paying £80 a month for a bed loan? Why is she paying council tax debts when she’s on UC? Something isn’t adding up here.
Lol. What a joke. And they expect us to empathise with these people? She pays £80 for two loans which supposedly were for buying a bed… BS. A bed costs £50-£100 down the local heart Foundation shop, why did she take out such a huge loan for one item?! Madness. This is entirely self-inflicted. She also earns more than most people do working 40 hour weeks. £1300+ on rent? Time to move to an area that is within her means.
She rents private 100%. No way on earth she would be paying out that much in rent for social housing.
£1300 a month rent paid for by the state! Not a bad gig! I don’t think he budget is is excessively restrictive! She is at home 24/7 so no commuting or childcare costs! Not sure what else she can expect!
>And, although Universal Credit covers her £1,300 monthly rental and a few other costs…. …. …. Distressed Kelly explained her £1,271 rent for her three-bed house takes her allowances over £2,000 so money is taken off because of the benefit cap. Kelly also receives £325 standard allowance, and £520 child support, but after her rent is paid Kelly said she has £600 deducted because she claims child benefit of £35 a week, then £80 a month for two loans she took to buy a bed when they moved, and council tax she couldn’t pay.
What I find weird about her situation is that she seemingly earns more in benefits than some single mothers I know that actually work full-time in NMW jobs! Crazy!
She needs to move somewhere with cheaper rent. £1200 is a lot to pay on rent. Her benifits are cut back because of the benifits cap of £2000 which is a lot more than many people earn on a full time job.
Well looks to me like she’s been on benefits her whole life, couldn’t have been that hard up in the past as she managed to become an alcoholic …. those terrible Tories …. still she managed to be a drunk sponger during a labour government so that’s all right then.
https://www.maidenhead-advertiser.co.uk/news/10291/Mum-distraught-after-being-forced-to.html
I remember growing up when I used to go to my dad’s he would often say he wasn’t hungry or that he’ll eat later. Didn’t realise till after he died that actually he was really broke and was making sure his kids got to eat.
Boo hoo too many free loaders in this country, why should we the tax payer support other people and their children. I have two children rent, bills to pay but I work hard and eat properly spending £50 a week on food. What a joke….
As a single mum myself who lives in a shit area im going to be honest. I do see why people comment how they do. There are two sides to people on benefits. I worked from my boy being 6 months. Part time at first, and now hes 6 I work full time. Im lucky enough now to be fully off benefits and able to give him a nice life. I still don’t smoke, drink, walk everywhere and shop at Aldi.
Im paranoid about being skint again and save like mad for a rainy day.
Some of the mums at school have zero intention of working ever and are very vocal about it. They smoke, drink, get loads of expensive stuff on credit and piss their money up the wall. As soon as they get a sniff that you aren’t skint yourself, they always ask for a borrow.
I did need benefits for 4 years, ive worked really hard and I don’t now. Im lucky enough to have the skills to earn more. I know not everyone has that.
I was determined though.
I feel so sorry for a lot of 2 parent families who aren’t entitled to anything, working their arses off, paying for childcare etc and they are so skint.
The system is fucked. There aren’t enough social housing.
I rent privately and im scared to move because the prices have gone up so much. I could afford to, but I’ll never live anywhere near my means.
I do think a lot of people on benefits are depressed, hence the drinking etc but the system doesn’t help at all. I hated being tarred with that brush, but I would of been screwed without that help.
Something seems off with this article as many others have mentioned in the comments, why am I not surprised this happened in Slough…
Why is her rent so high? “£1,271 rent for her three-bed house” is madness for someone that can’t afford to eat, that’s more than what I pay, she needs to downsize because the landlord is taking her for a ride.
Why is she using candles? They are expensive compared to LED lighting or even a rechargeable torch. Also, even if you don’t use electricity now, you still pay a lot because of the standing daily rate, you might as well pay the extra few pence for lighting.
Why did she take out a loan to pay bills? (never do this, it will only make things worse).
Why did she take out a loan for a bed of all things? She could have placed the mattress on the floor. (possibly could afford it when she had a job?).
There was no mentions of food banks to feed herself.
Why does she have a 3 bed house then all sleep in 1 room?
ofc, she probably didn’t have any problems when she had a job, has she stopped looking for one?
Is she still suffering from long covid? isn’t this basically a disability? can’t she get more financial support if the doc says she can’t work?
2k in free money! Shit I’m no where near that working and seem to be better off.
Am an ICU nurse in London literally making exactly what she makes when she doesn’t even work (I don’t do night shifts so I don’t get unsociable hours benefits like that). I know the kids don’t deserve to be punished for being born into these circumstances but it’s really hard not to feel bitter about this kind of thing. I also find it difficult not to get resentful at the narrative that such people shouldn’t be expected to move to improve their prospects. My dad is the youngest son of 6 children born to factory workers from Hartlepool and moved to the South East and eventually London to improve his prospects. My mum moved from a farming community in the South West to London to improve hers. They moved out to the country to raise me and my sister and I moved back to the city to acquire more skills than I would in my home town. Why is it the working population are expected to move away from their support network to change their lifestyle but it’s not acceptable to expect the non-working population to make such a change?
I do feel deeply sorry for her, but maybe I’ve misunderstood something. Why is she living in a 3 bedroom house for £1,200 a month when there are two people? Why is she buying candles when they’re more expensive than led bulbs + electricity costs? Why buy a bed when just a mattress would do until she gets out of this rut? Why even buy a brand new new bed when people give them away for free on places like Facebook market place? There are many things wrong here. Im not denying the government needs to offer more help, but I think a little financial education would also help. It’s a crime this stuff isn’t taught in schools. I know people who get by, with kids, in London, on less money than she’s on and they do ok.
The problem is clearly two-fold. Poor financial planning and decision making and a woefully uncaring government. This makes for a critical situation for people like her.
To be clear, she gets paid more than the average salary, over £2,000 a month. She lives in a 3 bed house, and doesn’t work. Crazy opinion, but I think that’s enough. If she wants more money she should work.
All it takes is spinning a sob story and the whiners go crazy.