Trolls say I should be ashamed of myself for living in a council estate, but I am proud
A YOUNG mother has hit back at trolls who make assumptions about those living on council properties.
Ashlan Hindle, mother-of-one from Britain, told how people say she was ‘ashamed’ of her living situation.
Not only this, but she also claimed that nasty trolls assume she is on benefits and gets everything handed to her, but in fact she and her partner both have jobs.
To set the record straight, the content creator took to social media to address the stigmas people have about town halls.
Ashlan, who lives in a beautiful, 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 comment read: ‘You should be ashamed of yourself.’
Read more real life stories
Keen to clap back at the hater, Ashlan said: ‘And this is the stigma we face: that we should be ashamed because we live in social housing.
‘But you have to ask yourself: that elderly couple down the street who have lived in that house for 35 years, probably a council house.
‘Are you quick to judge them? No. You are quick to judge me because you automatically assume that I am on benefits, that I have no ambitions in life, that everything I have has been given to me.
“But that is not the case. We work hard, so what if it’s a town hall?”
The woman, who previously said that despite what people think, she pays taxes, is a clean person and does not cause any nuisance to her neighbors, then continued: “It is a stable roof over our heads.”
She claimed: ‘A certain percentage of every new build goes to the council or housing associations, so many of the people living in these beautiful new build homes are council tenants, but you would have no idea unless someone told you.
“And the reason people don’t tell you is because of comments like this that say we should be ashamed.
“What to be ashamed of? I will never be ashamed of what we have.”
How can I get a town hall?
To apply for social housing, you must complete an application form and submit it to your municipality.
To find your local authority, simply use the government’s council finder on its website.
Once you access your council’s website, it should provide you with guidance on how to complete your application.
After you sign up, you will likely need to join a waiting list.
Please note that even if you are on a waiting list, this does not guarantee that you will receive an offer for a council house.
Your local council should also give you advice on how to continue living in your current home and resolve any problems, such as problems with a private landlord or mortgage.
You are eligible for this apply for social housing if you are a British citizen living in Great Britain, provided you have not recently lived abroad.
Each council has its own local rules about who is eligible to be included on the housing register in its area, but this is based on “points” or a “banding” system.
For example, there is a good chance that you will first 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
As soon as you are high enough on the municipality’s waiting list, the municipality will contact you if a home is available.
Some councils allow people to apply from the age of 18, while others allow you to apply even earlier if you are 16 years old.
EU workers and their families and refugees may also be eligible.
You reach a town hall via a points system, so depending on your housing needs, you may be considered low priority.
As soon as you are high enough on the waiting list, the municipality will contact you about any available housing.
There is no limit to how long you can be on the waiting list.
SOCIAL MEDIA SUPPORT
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ashlan_hindlehas clearly left many with their mouths open as it quickly amassed 71,300 views in just two days.
Honestly, you 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 eager to flock to the comments to share messages of love and support for Ashlan.
The reality of life in a town hall
LEANNE Hall, Digital Writer at Fabulous, has discussed what it was like growing up in a council estate, and why those who live in such properties are often judged…
As a child I grew up in a council estate and was completely unaware of the discrimination that came with it until I became an adult.
My younger years were spent running up and down the stairs of my flat, meeting other friends who lived there and making the most of the communal garden.
But now it seems that no matter your circumstances, everyone has something to say about why you shouldn’t be there.
Living just outside London, as I do, rents are still high, and with my mother raising three children at home at the time, it wasn’t easy to find a job that fit the bill.
People in town halls are often labeled as ‘scroungers’ or ‘lazy’, but it is nothing of the sort.
Most families in social housing suffer from overcrowding, not to mention the terrible amount of damp and mold that comes from living in old social housing that has not been touched for fifty years.
It’s not ideal for many, but it does provide a safe home without the fear that your rent will skyrocket every year, which I think is essential for children growing up on the poverty line.
One person said: “Why would you be ashamed? A house is a house.”
To this, Ashlan responded and wrote: “This!!!!”
Another added: “Well said.”
A third commented: “You really can’t win. The internet always has something to say. Your house is beautiful by the way.”