Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To think it is ridiculous that a woman with 11 kids is getting a £400,000 house for nowt

999 replies

angelos02 · 19/02/2013 09:59

Especially when most working people couldn't never afford to live somewhere costing that much?
Link: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2280385/Home-fit-dole-queen-Mother-11-gets-BRAND-NEW-400-000-house-built-council-shes-struggling-current-homes.html

OP posts:
PureQuintessence · 19/02/2013 10:40

Well, these children need a home. I think the needs of these children far out-weights any ill thoughts people may have about their mum.

They are building homes for large families, 6 bedrooms, not 12, her children will still need to share. And I suppose when she no longer needs such a large home, she will have to downsize.

She is just a poor ignorant mum (thinking the house is built especially for her, it may seem that way, but I reckon she is just offered a large house that suit her needs) with poor judgement and possibly lacking in education and opportunities. She should be pitied, not scorned. Her children should have the same right as everybody else, to decent housing and as good a start in life as the rest of us.

Apparently our neighbours house can sleep as many as 10 people, as it is classified by the council as a 4 bed (3 beds, 1 dining room).

LaurieFairyCake · 19/02/2013 10:41

Most of our problems in society (jobs, adequate housing, the fucking economy ) can be solved by a MASS social house building programme.

But of course property 'fake' 'values' will then fall and the Tories want to protect their own interests so they won't do it.

Instead we get piece meal projects to protect voters.

countrykitten · 19/02/2013 10:42

'I don't think 11 kids is ideal' must be the understatement of the century thesecondcoming! Have a pop at others who find this behaviour appalling (did she think about how she was to care for these children properly as she kept on having them?) but try and be a little more honest yourself.

And wtf is a clown car....?

Branleuse · 19/02/2013 10:43

she could have a bloody castle and i still wouldn't want her life.

Lovelygoldboots · 19/02/2013 10:43

I would like to see far more investment in social housing. Everyone should have a decent place to live and bring up their family. The fact that this isn't happening is down to years of piss poor govt policy. What really makes me angry is families living in terrible conditions in b&b, costing thousands when that money should be used to build houses and communities. Get angry by all means, but it is pointless getting angry at this woman.

Lottapianos · 19/02/2013 10:44

' I also wonder abut how she came to have 11 kids... First one aged 14... That makes me sad, not angry.'

Agree TheSecondComing

mrsjay · 19/02/2013 10:44

she could have a bloody castle and i still wouldn't want her life.

that

secretofcrickleyhall · 19/02/2013 10:45

I do find it difficult reading threads like this Sad

As soon as somebody, anybody, dares question the benefit system as being too generous then sarcasm and flinty accusations start flying.

Bring back the workhouses somebody said ironically over the page. How we jump from "I think it's unfair that ONE family gets an 11-bed house" to "Put them in a workhouse" God only knows.

so if someone if on benefits does that mean they should be sterilized so they can't have any more children?

No. Here's a shocking idea though - why don't the people who HAVE the children, the mother and the father, take responsibility to feed, clothe, house and provide for them?

Someone always brings up a hard luck tale and rightly so. I am pleased we have a welfare system. However, and respectfully, I wonder what the majority of you laying into the OP earn? I earn just above the threshold (£40,000) - no benefits, no help, no tax credits. I have to work full time and nursery fees when the time comes means that the majority of people on benefits are taking home a lot more than me (single parent.)

Fair enough if you've got two working parents on a solid salary, fair enough if you've got one on a good salary, fair enough if you're on a low salary as then you do at least get some help. But people like me lose out time and time again and I am sick of it and sick of being accused of being a Nazi, a Mr Bumble character or whatever when I say it's unfair. I say it's unfair because it bloody well IS unfair.

Lottapianos · 19/02/2013 10:45

What Lovelygoldboots said. Such absolutely rubbish management of the whole situation.

NopeStillNothing · 19/02/2013 10:45

I agree with others who have said that YES, she has been irresponsible and selfish to have 11 children with no means of support but what the hell can she do now? The children need a roof over their heads for goodness sake and £400,000 to house 12 people is not that ridiculous.
My issue is the fact that this woman was raped by a paedophile at 14 years old and yet the media has chosen to ignore this outrage completely. The system seems to have failed on many levels here!

countrykitten · 19/02/2013 10:46

I also think that this story has been covered by more reputable papers too so perhaps wise to read another 'version'. I am guessing that the bare bones of it are true.

cherrypez · 19/02/2013 10:47

Really mixed feelings about this...I have 'lots' of kids, but work full time and own my house. Have people assumng I must be on benefits etc and it does piss me off. But the thing that REALLY upset me about this article was the arsehole who commented underneath that he was glad this 'rat' got cancer. She's a mum ffs, just a mum like the rest of us, what a wanker :(

countrykitten · 19/02/2013 10:49

Never ever read the DM comments under an article - the will to live will be lost shortly afterwards.

lockets · 19/02/2013 10:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

germyrabbit · 19/02/2013 10:50

yes will be really set off by a skip and a broken robin reliant out front Wink

lockets · 19/02/2013 10:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheSecondComing · 19/02/2013 10:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EllieArroway · 19/02/2013 10:52

That this woman is an irresponsible, work-shy, seemingly rather unpleasant piece of work is not really in doubt. Of course she shouldn't have had so many children - you could argue that she shouldn't actually have had any given that she's never been in a position to adequately support a single one of them. Does she deserve a lovely big house? Nope.

But there's the little matter of her children - who have done NOTHING wrong by being born and who do not deserve to live in squalor, and face all of the difficulties that we know being inadequately housed often brings.

I don't care two hoots about her. She's only getting that house so that her children have a decent place to live. Do they deserve that? Yes. And I would be ashamed to be part of any society that didn't feel the same.

pashapasta · 19/02/2013 10:53

In the MINUTE world, YABU. People can have as many children as they want without thinking how they will have sufficient funds to finance their lifestyle. We must not judge, just pay.

In the real world, YANBU. Of course it is not the chuldren's fault, but how, as a society have we got the the position where her lifestyle is acceptable. Awaiting flaming.

pashapasta · 19/02/2013 10:53

In the MINUTE world, YABU. People can have as many children as they want without thinking how they will have sufficient funds to finance their lifestyle. We must not judge, just pay.

In the real world, YANBU. Of course it is not the chuldren's fault, but how, as a society have we got the the position where her lifestyle is acceptable. Awaiting flaming.

AmberLeaf · 19/02/2013 10:54

I am pleased we have a welfare system. However, and respectfully, I wonder what the majority of you laying into the OP earn? I earn just above the threshold (£40,000) - no benefits, no help, no tax credits. I have to work full time and nursery fees when the time comes means that the majority of people on benefits are taking home a lot more than me (single parent

Thats just not true.

Birdsgottafly · 19/02/2013 10:54

This won't just be the decision of the council, other agencies must be involved.

The house is for the Mother and her adult children/grandchildren, so there has to be reasons why there is that need to be housed together.

If there is they are probably saving the country a fortune by supporting each other, practically speaking.

I would not criticise any family who are supporting each other without the involvement of services, because working in SS, i know how much Social Care costs.

The movement of people under the "bedroom tax" away from family, will make SS costs soar, it is cheaper to have a level of unemployment and family care on hand.

TheSecondComing · 19/02/2013 10:55

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EllieArroway · 19/02/2013 10:57

Here's a shocking idea though - why don't the people who HAVE the children, the mother and the father, take responsibility to feed, clothe, house and provide for them?

Yes. But what if they don't/won't? Do you consign the children to living in slums or being homeless? Let them go hungry & cold?

You seem to be under the impression that some of us are quite happy supporting other people's children. We're not - but we're willing to do so when necessary because - and here, in fact, is the shocking idea - we are human beings who give a shit about other people, particularly those who have done nothing wrong, like this woman's children.

AmberLeaf · 19/02/2013 10:57

Ive not even read the article, Im sure it will be no different from all the others like that.

Shocked that her first child came when she was 14 after being raped by a 23 yr old, not shocked that the mail chose to gloss over that.