I live in a £154 a week homeless shelter…it’s so mouldy & my baby sleeps on the floor, trolls tell me to be ‘grateful’
A FIRST time mum has revealed the state of the homeless shelter she lives in with her baby.
Chrissie, 21, said that she pays £154 a week to live in the shelter, which is riddled with mould and bedbugs.
Sharing a TikTok video of the temporary accommodation, she shared that there is no bed in the room for her baby, who has to sleep on a tiny mattress on the floor.
The windows are covered in mould, which could be harmful to her baby, and the carpets are infested with bed bugs.
She added that there is no bedding on the beds and she has to share a tiny bathroom which doesn't have a shower in it with other guests at the shelter.
Chrissie said that she believes that the shelter she is staying in should be adults only, as there are "drug addicts, thieves and rapists" in the shelter.
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She said that she has worked since the age of 16 as a teaching assistant, but added that maternity pay is not enough for her to be able to afford to rent a flat in her home of South East London.
Chrissie revealed that she has a great relationship with her mum, but said there's no room for her and her baby at her mum's house.
She said that she applied for a council house when her baby was born but wasn't given any help, so told them she was homeless, and was put up in a Travel-lodge for the night.
The next day, she was moved into the homeless hostel, and she said that she cried when she was being shown around, as it is "no place for a baby".
Chrissie said that her living situation is temporary, and she is hoping to be placed into a council house soon with her baby.
She added that if she moves anywhere else before then (for example back to her mum's house or in with the baby's dad) then the council will not help her to get a house.
Chrissie's video which was posted under the username @chrissie222x has gone viral, racking up over 1.2 million views on the video sharing platform.
However, some mean trolls have said that Chrissie should be "grateful" for her living situation.
One person said: "You sound like you deserve to be homeless.
"Disgustingly ungrateful".
How to check what benefits you could be entitled to
The quickest way to see what benefits you may be able to claim is to use one of the three benefit calculators recommended by Gov.uk.
Each one is free to use. They are:
Before using the tools, make sure you have key financial information to hand, such as bank and savings statements, and information on pensions and existing benefits.
If you live with a partner or family, get their basic financial information together too as this could affect your claim.
For each of these, you’ll be asked information about your circumstances, such as your current employment and income.
You’ll also need to give information about yourself, including your age and who you live with.
You can then use the contact information on Gov.uk to get the ball rolling and apply for what you're owed.
Of course, the tools only provide an indicator of what benefits you can claim - and usually don't include means tested benefits, so you may be entitled to even more.
Another troll said: "You're a terrible mum.
"Hope your kids get a better life".
A third said: "Be grateful.
"Some people need that room more than you".
However, many people flooded the comments section with positive messages for the new mum.
One person said: "I think your doing amazing girl.
"It isn't easy and you're trying your best".
A second person said: "I'm horrified that you have to live in these conditions.
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