HOUSE ABOUT IT
Trolls say I should be ashamed because I live in a council house – they judge & assume I’m on benefits but I don’t care
Scroll down to find out how you could get a council house
A YOUNG mum has hit back at trolls who make assumptions about those living in council properties.
Ashlan Hindle, a mum-of-one from the UK, told how people say she should be ‘ashamed’ of her living situation.
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Not only this, but she also claimed that nasty trolls assume she is on benefits and gets everything given to her, but in fact, she and her partner both have jobs.
Keen to set the record straight, the content creator took to social media to address the stigmas people have about council houses.
Ashlan, who lives in a stunning, modern-looking three-bed council house, which has a stylish white kitchen, large garden and spacious bedrooms, shared a short clip in response to a comment from a troll.
The rude remark read: ‘You should be ashamed.’
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Eager to clap back to the hater, Ashlan said: “And this is the stigma that we're dealing with - that we should be ashamed because we live in council housing.
“But you've got to ask yourself, that elderly couple down the road that's been living in that house for the past 35 years, probably a council house.
“Are you quick to judge them? No. You’re quick to judge me because you automatically assume that I'm on benefits, that I have no aspirations in life, that everything I've got has been given to me.
“But that isn't the case. We work hard, so what if it's a council house?”
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The woman, who previously shared that despite what people think, she pays taxes, is a clean person and isn’t a nuisance to her neighbours, then continued: “It's a stable roof over our head.”
She claimed: “A certain percentage of every new build estate goes to council or housing associations, so a lot of the people living in these beautiful new build houses are council tenants, but you wouldn't have any clue unless somebody told you.
I live in a council house and gave my son's room a makeover for £60…the nicotine walls were transformed with a £15 B&Q buy
“And the reason people don't tell you is because of comments like this saying that we should be ashamed.
“Ashamed of what? I'll never ever be ashamed of what we have.”
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 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 @, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly racked up 71,300 views in just two days.
You honestly can't win. The internet always has something to say
TikTok user
Social media users were clearly stunned by the troll’s comment and were keen to flock to the comments to share messages of love and support for Ashlan.
The reality of living in a council house
LEANNE Hall, Digital Writer at Fabulous, has discussed what it was like growing up in a council house, and why those living in such properties are often judged...
When I was a child I grew up in a council house, and was blissfully unaware of the discrimination that came with that, until I became an adult.
My younger years were spent running up and down the stairs of my flat, meeting with other friends who lived there and making the most of the communal garden.
But now, it seems no matter your circumstance, everyone has something to say about why you shouldn’t be there.
Living just outside of London like I did, rent prices are still high, and as my mum was at home raising three kids at the time, it wasn’t easy to find a job that fit around that.
People in council houses are often labelled as ‘scroungers’ or ‘lazy’ but it’s nothing of the sort.
Most families in council homes experience overcrowding, and let’s not even mention the horrendous amount of damp and mould that comes from living in old social housing that hasn’t had work done to them in 50 or so years.
It’s not ideal for many, but it does provide a secure home without the fear your rent will shoot up every single year, which I would argue is vital to children growing up on the poverty line.
One person said: “Why should you be ashamed? A house is a house.”
To this, Ashlan responded and wrote: “This!!!!”
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Another added: “Well said.”
A third commented: “You honestly can't win. The internet always has something to say. Your house is gorgeous by the way.”
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