I live in social housing – people assume I am a ‘social security profiteer’ and not well educated
A YOUNG woman has hit back at internet trolls who make assumptions about people living in social housing.
Ashlan Hindle, a mother of one from the UK, explains that people assume she is a ‘benefit claimant’, but in reality she and her partner both have jobs.
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Furthermore, the content creator claims that internet users will call her lazy, work-shy and uneducated. However, she wants to correct this.
Ashlan, who lives in a spacious three-bedroom social housing unit, shared a short video on social media in which he ‘breaks the stigmas, one day at a time’.
Showing off her beautiful, modern-looking home, with a stylish white kitchen, large garden and spacious bedrooms, Ashlan highlighted the ‘stigmas’ attached to people living in social housing.
She said: “I live in social housing, but I am not a single mother.
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“I live in social housing and we both work.
“I live in social housing and I am not a nuisance to my neighbours.
“I live in social housing and pay my taxes.
“I live in social housing and I am a clean person.
“I live in social housing and I take good care of my home.”
Furthermore, Ashlan claimed that while many assume that people living in social housing get it for free, she added: “I live in social housing, I pay rent.
“I live in social housing and my rent is still £745 a month.
“I live in social housing and am very well educated.”
No, I don’t get anything for nothing
Ashlan Hindle
Wanting to break the negative stereotypes, Ashlan continued: “No, I am not work-shy, I am not lazy, I am not uneducated, I am not a ‘freeloader’ and I do not lack ambition.
“And finally, no, I don’t get anything for free.
How can I get social housing?
To apply for social housing, you must complete an application form and submit it to your municipality.
To find your municipality, you can simply use the municipality finder on the government website.
Once you have access to your municipality’s website, you will find guidelines there for completing your application.
After you register, you will likely be placed on a waiting list.
Please note that even if you are placed on the waiting list, this does not guarantee an offer of social housing.
Your local authority can also advise you on how to continue living in your current home and resolve any issues, such as problems with a private landlord or mortgage.
You are eligible for application for social housing if you are a British citizen living in the UK, provided you have not recently lived abroad.
Each municipality has its own local rules about who is eligible to be placed on the housing list for its area, but these rules are based on a system of ‘points’ or ‘bands’.
For example, you will probably be the first to be offered a home if you:
- are homeless
- living in cramped conditions
- have a medical condition that is aggravated by your current home
- trying to escape domestic violence
Once you are high enough on the municipality’s waiting list, you will be contacted as soon as a home becomes available.
In some municipalities you can submit an application from the age of 18, in other municipalities you can submit an application from the age of 16.
EU workers and their families and refugees may also be eligible.
You will be allocated social housing through a points system. Depending on your housing needs, you may be given low priority.
Once you are high enough on the waiting list, the municipality will contact you about available housing.
There is no limit to how long you will be on the waiting list.
“I hope this will break some of the stigmas surrounding social housing, because social housing is for everyone.
“If you need help, you can call the municipality and submit a request. Not everyone is the same.”
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ashlan_hindlehas clearly caused quite a stir, as the post was only shared a day ago but quickly racked up 36,000 views.
Even if you live in social housing, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a nice house
TikTok user
Social media users were impressed with Ashlan’s clip and took to the comments to share their thoughts on her “gorgeous” home.
Someone said, “It’s not social housing, it’s your home, honey. It doesn’t matter who you rent from or where you rent from, it’s beautiful.”
What it’s really like to grow up in social housing
Fantastic reporter Leanne Hall tells what it’s like to grow up in social housing.
I grew up in an apartment building in a social housing district and can therefore tell quite a few wild stories.
From the neighbor throwing dog poop at the janitor for asking to mow the lawn (I imagine they ended up on the Jeremy Kyle show later in life) to arguments over missing packages, I’ve seen it all.
Although things often go wrong, I think it is usually because families living in social housing get to know each other so well that they forget that they are neighbours and not family.
Yes, things can quickly go from zero to a hundred, but you know that no matter what, you can count on your neighbor to lend you some milk or to keep an eye on the kids playing outside.
And if you ask me, it’s much nicer to live in a close-knit community where boundaries can be crossed than never knowing your neighbors’ names while living on a posh street.
Another added: “Just because you live in social housing doesn’t mean you can’t have a nice home.
“I have lived in social housing for 60 years, your house is beautiful.”
A third noted: “I live in social housing and work full time. There should be no stigma attached to it.”
To this Ashlan responded, claiming, “It shouldn’t be that way, but it is, because there is only a small group of people.”
