I have a council house & get Universal Credit even though my man & I work full-time…I’m trolled but I’m not embarrassed
A WOMAN has revealed that she lives in a council house even though she and her husband both work full-time.
Beth Owen, a mother of four, explained that her family-of-six were recently made homeless, and were then moved into a council property.
Now, Beth is on maternity leave and the couple also receive Universal Credit – and she claimed that she’s ‘not embarrassed’ to admit that.
Posting on social media, Beth was keen to clap back at haters who criticised her lifestyle.
In response to a comment from a troll that read “Do benefits people have to pay for anything in full?”, Beth shared a video showing off her council house.
Keen to silence the keyboard warriors, Beth posted her clip with the caption ‘It’s really worth thinking about what you comment. Not everyone is in the same situation. My partner and I both work full time and we still receive some UC, we don’t get help with everything.’
Beth then explained that after one of her videos going viral on TikTok, she was met with a barrage of comments from social media users – not all of which were kind.
She said: “Just over a week ago I posted a video about me and my family finally moving into our council house after being homeless for 12 months.
“When I posted it, never did I expect it to go viral. I gained over 10,000 followers in just about four days.
“It’s currently standing on nearly 700,000 views.
“I totally understand when you post something public and on social media that you are gonna get a mix of positive and negative comments.
“Luckily none of the negative comments affected me in any way. I did find a lot of them quite laughable.
“There may be some people out there who wouldn’t be able to take it, that’s why I think it’s really important that people think before they post something.”
Beth explained that haters assume she doesn’t work, as she added: “For example, with the comments that I’ve been receiving, just because I’ve moved into a council house, a lot of people assume that we don’t work.
We still receive help from Universal Credit and I’m not embarrassed to say that
Beth Owen
“Now me and my partner both work, and when I’ve been replying to these people saying that we do, either some of them have other things that they go on about and then the others just don’t reply.”
The mother explained that both she and her partner work full time, as she continued: “I’m currently on maternity leave until September, but we still receive help from Universal Credit and I’m not embarrassed to say that.
We do pay a lot of things in full because we’re not eligible for everything
Beth Owen
“We don’t receive a lot, but what we do receive really does help.
“We were really grateful for what we received from the carpet scheme because it really helped us move out of our temporary house and moved into our council house that we’ve been waiting for for a long time.
“And although we received that help, we do pay a lot of things in full because we’re not eligible for everything and I’m totally fine with that, but just think of people’s situations before you comment.”
How can I get a council house?
To apply for a council home, you need to fill out and hand in an application to your local authority.
To find your local authority, simply use the Government’s council locator tool on its website.
Once you have access to your local council’s website, it should offer you guidelines on how to complete your application.
After applying, you’ll most likely have to join a waiting list.
Bear in mind, even if you are put on a waiting list, this doesn’t guarantee you a council house offer.
Your council should also offer you advice on how to stay in your current home and solve any issues you might have, such as problems with a private landlord or mortgage.
You are eligible to apply for council housing if you are a British citizen living in the UK providing have not lived abroad recently.
Each council has its own local rules about who qualifies to go on the housing register in its area, but it is based on “points” or a “banding” system.
For example, you’re likely to be offered housing first if you:
- are homeless
- live in cramped conditions
- have a medical condition made worse by your current home
- are seeking to escape domestic violence
Once you are high enough on a council’s waiting list, it will contact you when a property is available.
Some councils let people apply at the age of 18, while others let you apply even sooner at 16-year-olds.
EU workers and their families and refugees may also be eligible.
A council house is reached through a points system, so depending on your housing needs, you may be considered low priority.
The council will contact you about any available property once you are high enough on the waiting list.
There is no limit on how long you can expect to be on the waiting list.
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @bethowen22, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed almost 13,000 views in just two days.
Social media users rushed to the comments to support Beth, and many told her to ignore the ‘jealous’ haters.
Everyone has different circumstances and people should respect that
TikTok user
One person said: “It’s just pure jealousy really, you’ve a lovely home and they probably haven’t.
“Just ignore them. I’m glad you’ve got a lovely safe space for your family.”
Another added: “Everyone has different circumstances and people should respect that.”
A third commented: “Just ignore them. Unless the person commenting has never claimed child benefit and won’t claim a state pension then they can’t really talk can they. Enjoy your beautiful home.”
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