I’m a single mum renovating my council house while my kids nap- people are ‘speechless’ at my Poundland painting hack
A SINGLE mum has revealed that she is giving her council house a makeover whilst her kids nap.
Minnie Harris, 20, moved into a council property in December, with her two children, who are both under two years old.
The mum has been documenting her makeover via a series of TikTok videos, and in one video, shared her hallway transformation.
When Minnie moved into the property, her hallway was a plain white colour, but the mum of two decided to jazz it up using a mint green colour, called Willow Tree by Dulux.
“This was actually the paint that my mum used in my childhood home”, Minnie said.
“So not only is this a gorgeous colour, but it also holds a little bit of sentimental value for me as well.”
Minnie said that she only does painting when her children are napping, or after they’ve gone to bed.
Therefore, painting her hallway took her about three to four days.
Minnie shared a clever hack to make sure that her painting looked neat at the edges.
She placed Poundland masking tape on the edges of her walls, and then peeled them off afterwards, to reveal a beautifully neat finish.
“I’m really happy with how it turned out”, Minnie said.
Minnie’s video, which was posted under the username @minnieharrisuk has gone viral, racking up over 195,000 views on the video sharing platform.
TikTok users raced to the video’s comments section to praise Minnie for her council house glow up.
One person said: “To be brutally honest, I am speechless. To hell with check a trade .
“Minnie you are absolutely amazing at decorating.”
Another person said: “You have done a amazing job it looks beautiful you are so clever”.
A third person said: “Your hallway looks amazing”.
Council tenants are allowed to make alterations and renovations to their homes.
However, they must make sure that any work conforms to building regulations and planning permission.
What council tax support is available?
THERE are several ways you can get discounts and reductions on your council tax bill.
In some cases, you can even get the bill completely wiped with a council tax reduction.
Factors such as your household income, whether you have children, and if you receive any benefits, will influence what you get.
To apply, visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-council-tax-reduction.
You’ll need your National Insurance number, bank statements, a recent payslip or letter from the Jobcentre, and a passport or driving licence when filling out the details.
Below, we reveal all the ways you can get discounts or a reduction on your bill:
Single person discount
If you live on your own, you can get 25% off your council tax bill.
This also applies if there is one adult and one student living together in a property, or if there is one adult and one person classed as severely mentally impaired in the home.
If you live with someone who doesn’t have to pay council tax, such as a carer or someone who is severely mentally impaired, you could get a larger reduction too, of up to 50%.
And, if you live in an all-student household, you could get a 100% discount.
Retirees
Pensioners may also find themselves eligible for a council tax reduction.
If you receive the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, you could get a 100% discount.
If not, you could still get help if you have a low income and less than £16,000 in savings.
And a pensioner who lives alone will be entitled to a 25% discount too.
Low-income households
If you are on a low income or receiving benefits, you could be eligible for a reduction on your council tax.
Whether you are eligible will vary depending on where you live.
You could also get a deferral if you’re struggling to pay your bill, or you can speak to your council about setting up a payment plan to manage the cost.
But one thing to remember is if you are struggling you should contact your council as early as you can.
Council houses are provided by local authorities to those in need.
They are often cheaper than renting private housing and can also offer greater security from eviction.
Council houses are allocated to prospective tenants via a points based system, with those in greater need given homes first.
The council will contact you about an available property when you are high enough up the waiting list.
More than one million people are currently waiting for social housing in the UK.
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