Sad for my friends £125k lottery win.

[Sogfree]

£125k win on the postcode lottery.

Single mum to 3 children (all primary age). Works as a TA, so receiving benefits to top up her income.

She would like to use her winnings for a deposit on a house. But due to the benefits rules not being allowed to pay a mortgage, she can't buy a property.

So she's going to spaff the entire lot as quick as she can, and the government will continue to pay rent to a multi property owner and make them richer.

The only asset she'll get to keep is a newer car - not anything fancy as she knows she won't be able to afford the insurance/fuel once the winnings run out.

Her one chance of breaking free of a life on benefits and she's got to throw it away. It feels wrong.

I don't know what sort of small business she could get into other than, cleaning / ironing, I suppose they would fit round her kids but it can't be easy to build up that sort of business.

OP. I would advise your friend that whatever decisions she makes, as she spends her money she should keep receipts. If she ever claims UC in the future, they will want to know what she spent it on.

Those options are still there if she did shared ownership - if most of it was used for ‘the share’ and hence no mortgage, then the rental part and service charge events can still form part of a UC claim -

@Sogfree not sure if you missed this, but if she can afford a share that uses all/most of her winnings, she wouldn't need to pay a mortgage, and uc will cover the rent element.

Is there many shared ownership schemes around?
Is there limits on how much share you are able to buy in the first place?
Its a long time since I've known someone whos been in one at the purchased point they could only buy 25% with options to buy the next 25% after 7 years or something like that.

Depending on the area a ex-council property with a mortgage might be better.

Very few where I live.

@ByBreezyUser which is why I suggested Heylo your move - shared ownership on open market -25% cash down needed and you can put down more if able to do so - cant be flats unless freehold . ex councils as an example here are around £380,000 . Very much depends where she lives.

There absolutely are people like this, I know of someone who won £300k and spent the lot in 2 years. Nothing to show for it except some pedigree dogs. Didn’t take the kids abroad. No driving lessons or car. No owned property and no college/training for a career.Applied to go back on UC. Still doesn’t work. Still asks for lifts! It beggars belief.

I am still in my mortgaged property, ex hubby left 2 yrs ago. I had to give up work and a potential career last year as my youngest is not attending school due to disability.
It does make me a bit annoyed as I think what I could have done with that money. First on the list would’ve been a magical Disneyland holiday for my lovely kids. I’d have definitely bought a house close to my friends and family as I’ve been very isolated after the split and was suicidal. I don’t get much respite from my youngest as they won’t sleepover anywhere but home and sleeps with me since her Dad went.
I’d have been able to pay for my daughter to get a private diagnosis and therapy, as here we are now she’s 10 and self harms 😭💔 and is 3 yrs into a 4-5 yr waiting list with Camhs and not been at school since April last year. I really want to go back to work but am stuck and hate living here away from my friends and elderly parents. I hardly see anyone now youngest not at school.

She sounds like a sponger! No ambition to do anything! No drive! No passion! I can’t stand people like this!

when given such a great opportunity you take it with both hands and do something amazing! She’s won a hell lot money here!

Indeed, sounds like, she will spaff away this amaxing opportunity to remain on benefits. Hopefully, if not used to better her circumstances then sanctions should apply.

Its bit sad she won and might not make the most of this opportunity

She has a job. She is a TA.

That is sad and snobby that you can't stand people with "no ambition". Those people you despise so much do very important jobs. Or is a TA not important?
Some people are happy with having just a job.

With that amount of money, sanctions will not apply as she will not be on benefits. The DWP do not have powers to force someone to use their own money to retrain. OP said her friend is not academic. No money in the world will change that.

You don't have to be academic to retrain for a new career. Many careers require practical skills rather than academic skills.

Its a strange mindset to spend a windfall quickly to requalify for state help.

She does not have to retrain in anything. She might really like being a TA. Not everyone wants a career.

As has been said many times on this thread, she either buys property or lives off the money until it runs out.

Indeed, my first thought was to purchase a property or shared ownership as previously said. My subsequent comments were replying to another poster asked we often do. HTH

I don't think it is snobby to expect that someone uses initiative to find a career where they can support themselves without the need to turn to the taxpayer.

Then again, I find it ridiculous that as a society, we are in a position where full time jobs aren't enough to support a small family. And that lower earners pay income tax but yet get benefits.

The low paid jobs that get topped up still need doing. That is not the fault of the people employed in them.

Yes they do. I agree.

I believe the two things at once.

Any full time job should pay enough to rent a 2 up 2 down within reason, and put food on the table and shouldn't need, or be entitled to taxpayer subsidy.

I also believe that it is unethical to sit on unrealised potential, again, within reason, and expect the taxpayer to plug the earnings gap given that as a civilisation we are where we are with property costs and cost of living. Especially with perennially frozen tax thresholds, 60% tax traps etc.

This person has a great opportunity to use this windfall to better hers and her families life, yet the first thought seems to be how she can milk the taxpayer as much as possible.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/12/uk-survivor-ireland-mother-baby-home-rosemary-adaser-compensation-benefit-penalty?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1775984760

I understand that she was in an Irish mother and baby home and is entitled to compensation.

I also believe that if people have money over £16,000 that they shouldn't claim benefits .

Being a TA is a perfectly acceptable career. We need TAs as much as we need retail staff, cleaners, nursing assistants, carers, etc. these are the real ‘key workers’ and if every person in those jobs suddenly retrained into ‘better’ jobs our social structure would collapse. Speaking from personal experience, retraining, as a lone parent, isn’t as simple as paying for the course fees. You need significant support with your childcare, and have to try to squeeze in study hours around your parental responsibilities. And this is all assuming that she’s academically able to study a degree or similar, not everyone is, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be able to earn enough to live on.

The bottom line is that her TA job should pay a proper living wage, and the father of her children should be contributing more financially. If those things were happening she wouldn’t need a benefits ‘top up’. End of.

I really hate the statement "end of" in debates. Like your word is the final revelation of ancient wisdom or something. So conceited.

In an ideal world, a full time wage shouldn't need topping up in the absence of profound disability. But we're not in an ideal world and I don't think its fair to take an easy road safe in the knowledge the taxpayer will meet the difference. And its definitely not ok to carry on taking taxpayer money when you have more cash swashing around than the majority of net contributors.

What value add does a TA bring? Just teachers are fine enough for most classes

What a goady little comment

TA’s are not hired for shits and giggles, especially when schools are under such financial pressure. You appear to have some ignorance around their role and function, that you should probably work on