Latest news with #EricaCrompton
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
I live on UK's best council estate – I wake up to the sound of cockerels & views of rolling hills, there's no ASBOs here
A highlight of Erica's day is smoking her ciggies while taking in the view HOME SWEET HOME I live on UK's best council estate – I wake up to the sound of cockerels & views of rolling hills, there's no ASBOs here Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OPENING my front door I breathe in the smell of red and pink roses as I watch the sun rise over our woodland-side crescent. The only sound comes from the neighbour's chicken coop as I hear a rooster calling out cock-a-doodle-do. 10 Erica Crompton says that Parksite is the best council estate in Britain Credit: Supplied 10 Her gorgeous home costs her just £380 a month Credit: Erica Crompton 10 She says that a morning stroll is like a scene from The Waltons Credit: Erica Crompton It's like stepping into a scene from The Waltons as I make my way past fields and rolling hills. However, it is not a family homestead I live on but rather a council estate and Britain's nicest in my opinion. I live on Parksite, in North Staffordshire's Silverdale, a village near Stoke-on-Trent and in the suburbs of Newcastle-under-Lyme, my local market town. While naysaying locals will be quick to tarnish its name, they're just being snobs, if they didn't know it was a council estate they would be fighting for a set of keys themselves. Why do people look down on council estate tenants like me, I'll never know - who doesn't want a peaceful home surrounded by countryside? With cheap rent? And friendly neighbours? I live at the top of a steep hill on a long private drive in my shared ownership bungalow and pay my way with a little journalism, and state benefits like Universal Credit and PIP. It only costs me £380 a month and I boast two gardens to the front and back, with blossom trees and flowers, lovingly cared for & nurtured by myself and my boyfriend, an aspiring Capability Brown. It's not just our gardens that are green, floral and verdant with the neighbours pruning their rose bushes most mornings. There isn't a tower block in sight as Parksite has Keele - a small countryside University village - next door. And Scot Hay - another country village with a farm - to the other side. I feel incredibly lucky to live on Parksite and pinch myself most days to check I'm not just living in a dream. You'd never know I live in a council house thanks to how good it looks - I shopped in IKEA & an Amazon tip saved me cash Aside from Parksite's abundant nature, it is the residents that make the place. Far from teaming with chavs and ABSO-slapped teens you find friendly families and people have time to stop and say hello when they're taking a stroll. I've even put a tangerine and fuchsia egg chair outside my front door so I can greet passersby as I smoke one of my 40-a-day ciggies. There's a 2.5K-strong community of local Silverdale residents on Facebook, who help each other out with missing pets, free household items, and lost bank cards and smartphones. Far from getting mugged, on our council estate residents make it their mission to keep your valuables with you. Not long ago, local campaigners, academics and MPs also clubbed together to get a nearby stinking landfill closed down. They finally won, and it was closed last year. Today the air is more fragrant and the streets much cleaner here than when I lived in cities like Birmingham and London, too. The bins are always emptied on time (Hackney Council take note!) I've lived on several estates in my time, here in Staffordshire and all over London and none of them are a patch on Parksite. 10 Erica has a view of rolling hills from her back garden Credit: Erica Crompton 10 She boasts two gardens with rolling hills as her view and the sound of the neighbour's roosters Credit: Supplied 10 Compared to previous council properties Erica says she has way more space Credit: Supplied 10 The surrounding streets are leafy and green Credit: Erica Crompton In London, I lived in a shared, one-bedroom council flat on the Roman Road in Bethnal Green which I rented for £75 a week. I enjoyed the fish market and cheap winkles. But not the community. Once a car was blown-up on the estate at 2am. It was terrifying to wake up to a bang and flames lighting up the entire estate. Another time, while a student, I lived on one of the high rises on Shepherd's Bush Green. While it was lovely to be in central London, the flat always stank of weed and I'd often hear next door arguing. When I returned to Staffordshire to help care for my mother in 2010, I lived on the Highfields estate in Stafford for a year. It was cheap, but the one-bedroom flat had no flooring down and I found the grey pebbledash facade of my Cul de Sac really depressing. It's different here on the Parksite estate. Visitors always notice how quiet it is: "It's so peaceful here" They'll coo. What It's Really Like Growing Up On A Council Estate Fabulous reporter, Leanne Hall, recalls what it's like growing up in social housing. As someone who grew up in a block of flats on a council estate, there are many wild stories I could tell. From seeing a neighbour throw dog poo at the caretaker for asking them to mow their lawn (best believe they ended up on the Jeremy Kyle show later in life) to blazing rows over packages going missing, I've seen it all. While there were many times things kicked off, I really do believe most of the time it's because families living on council estates get to know each other so well, they forget they're neighbours and not family. Yes, things can go from zero to 100 quickly, but you know no matter what you can rely on your neighbour to borrow some milk or watch all of the kids playing outside. And if you ask me, it's much nicer being in a tight community where boundaries can get crossed than never even knowing your neighbour's name while living on a fancy street. Thanks to support from the local council, Aspire, I'm able to afford the rent and upkeep of the property. But the real difference from the pokey flats I once afforded is that it's the first time I've had my own garden, and my own drive. As I write this, the sun is rising over the council housing rooftops - all red-orange glow, and also rising over the green parkland and bushy trees of Silverdale. It's so peaceful. My favourite memories here include sitting outside when the sun's out on my secondhand sunlounger. I'll be in the back garden, surrounded by green and just soak it all up. I so enjoy all the forest, all the nature, all the woodland sounds like a sparrow or the breeze among the grasses and buttercups. The only other sound's the tiny waterfall in the pond we've built to the left, overlooked by a red, Japanese Acer tree and a big silver Buddha head I bought from TK Maxx some years ago. My boyfriend also bought a TV when he moved in but we tend to just watch the wildlife in the forest over the bank, from the bifold windows that frame our sitting room - squirrels, nuthatches, woodpeckers. We have a birdfeeder here and can sometimes hear an owl in the dead of night. I believe I'll be here until I retire now and - after decades of struggling with shambolic, overpriced rentals in inferior council flats and dilapidated terraces - I finally feel complete and at peace. 10 Erica can sleep peacefully as there are no noisy neighbours nearby Credit: Erica Crompton 10 She has created a sanctuary in her enormous back garden Credit: Erica Crompton
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- The Irish Sun
I live on UK's best council estate – I wake up to the sound of cockerels & views of rolling hills, there's no ASBOs here
OPENING my front door I breathe in the smell of red and pink roses as I watch the sun rise over our woodland-side crescent. The only sound comes from the neighbour's chicken coop as I hear a rooster calling out cock-a-doodle-do. 10 Erica Crompton says that Parksite is the best council estate in Britain Credit: Supplied 10 Her gorgeous home costs her just £380 a month Credit: Erica Crompton 10 She says that a morning stroll is like a scene from The Waltons Credit: Erica Crompton It's like stepping into a scene from However, it is not a family homestead I live on but rather a I live on Parksite, in North Staffordshire's While naysaying locals will be quick to tarnish its name, they're just being snobs, if they didn't know it was a council estate they would be fighting for a set of keys themselves. Read More on Real Lives Why do people look down on council estate tenants like me, I'll never know - who doesn't want a peaceful home surrounded by countryside? With cheap rent? And friendly neighbours? I live at the top of a steep hill on a long private drive in my shared ownership bungalow and pay my way with a little journalism, and state benefits like Universal Credit and PIP. It only costs me £380 a month and I boast two gardens to the front and back, with blossom trees and flowers, lovingly cared for & nurtured by myself and my boyfriend, an aspiring Capability Brown. It's not just our gardens that are green, floral and verdant with the neighbours pruning their rose bushes most mornings. Most read in Fabulous There isn't a tower block in sight as Parksite has Keele - a small countryside University village - next door. And Scot Hay - another country village with a farm - to the other side. I feel incredibly lucky to live on Parksite and pinch myself most days to check I'm not just living in a dream. You'd never know I live in a council house thanks to how good it looks - I shopped in IKEA & an Amazon tip saved me cash Aside from Parksite's abundant nature, it is the residents that make the place. Far from teaming with chavs and ABSO-slapped teens you find friendly families and people have time to stop and say hello when they're taking a stroll. I've even put a tangerine and fuchsia egg chair outside my front door so I can greet passersby as I smoke one of my 40-a-day ciggies. There's a 2.5K-strong community of local Silverdale residents on Facebook, who help each other out with missing pets, free household items, and lost bank cards and smartphones. Far from getting mugged, on our council estate residents make it their mission to keep your valuables with you. Not long ago, local campaigners, academics and MPs also clubbed together to get a nearby stinking landfill closed down. They finally won, and it was closed last year. Today the air is more fragrant and the streets much cleaner here than when I lived in cities like Birmingham and London, too. The bins are always emptied on time (Hackney Council take note!) I've lived on several estates in my time, here in Staffordshire and all over London and none of them are a patch on Parksite. 10 Erica has a view of rolling hills from her back garden Credit: Erica Crompton 10 She boasts two gardens with rolling hills as her view and the sound of the neighbour's roosters Credit: Supplied 10 Compared to previous council properties Erica says she has way more space Credit: Supplied 10 The surrounding streets are leafy and green Credit: Erica Crompton In London, I lived in a shared, one-bedroom council flat on the Roman Road in Bethnal Green which I rented for £75 a week. I enjoyed the fish market and cheap winkles. But not the community. Once a car was blown-up on the estate at 2am. It was terrifying to wake up to a bang and flames lighting up the entire estate. Another time, while a student, I lived on one of the high rises on Shepherd's Bush Green. While it was lovely to be in central London, the flat always stank of weed and I'd often hear next door arguing. When I returned to Staffordshire to help care for my mother in 2010, I lived on the Highfields estate in Stafford for a year. It was cheap, but the one-bedroom flat had no flooring down and I found the grey pebbledash facade of my Cul de Sac really depressing. It's different here on the Parksite estate. Visitors always notice how quiet it is: "It's so peaceful here" They'll coo. What It's Really Like Growing Up On A Council Estate Fabulous reporter, Leanne Hall, recalls what it's like growing up in social housing. As someone who grew up in a block of flats on a council estate, there are many wild stories I could tell. From seeing a neighbour throw dog poo at the caretaker for asking them to mow their lawn (best believe they ended up on the Jeremy Kyle show later in life) to blazing rows over packages going missing, I've seen it all. While there were many times things kicked off, I really do believe most of the time it's because families living on council estates get to know each other so well, they forget they're neighbours and not family. Yes, things can go from zero to 100 quickly, but you know no matter what you can rely on your neighbour to borrow some milk or watch all of the kids playing outside. And if you ask me, it's much nicer being in a tight community where boundaries can get crossed than never even knowing your neighbour's name while living on a fancy street. Thanks to support from the local council, Aspire, I'm able to afford the rent and upkeep of the property. But the real difference from the pokey flats I once afforded is that it's the first time I've had my own garden, and my own drive. As I write this, the sun is rising over the council housing rooftops - all red-orange glow, and also rising over the green parkland and bushy trees of Silverdale. It's so peaceful. My favourite memories here include sitting outside when the sun's out on my secondhand sunlounger. I'll be in the back garden, surrounded by green and just soak it all up. I so enjoy all the forest, all the nature, all the woodland sounds like a sparrow or the breeze among the grasses and buttercups. The only other sound's the tiny waterfall in the pond we've built to the left, overlooked by a red, Japanese Acer tree and a big silver Buddha head I bought from TK Maxx some years ago. My boyfriend also bought a TV when he moved in but we tend to just watch the wildlife in the forest over the bank, from the bifold windows that frame our sitting room - squirrels, nuthatches, woodpeckers. We have a birdfeeder here and can sometimes hear an owl in the dead of night. I believe I'll be here until I retire now and - after decades of struggling with shambolic, overpriced rentals in inferior council flats and dilapidated terraces - I finally feel complete and at peace. 10 Erica can sleep peacefully as there are no noisy neighbours nearby Credit: Erica Crompton 10 She has created a sanctuary in her enormous back garden Credit: Erica Crompton 10 Erica says that her home is the perfect place to enjoy her 40 ciggies a day Credit: Supplied
The Irish Sun
28-05-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
I took DWP to court and won over tax on extra bedroom in our detached council house – now I have more benefits than EVER
'SEE you in court!' I say, voice raised, as I slam the phone down on the call handler. It was my third call to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) about the absurd bedroom tax we were facing and nothing had changed, so this time I was taking legal action. 5 Erica Crompton was sick of forking out an additional £94 a month in bedroom tax Credit: Supplied 5 She says that the two 'spare rooms' were being used for wheel chair equipment for her partner while the other was inaccessable by him Credit: Supplied The property I live in is a three bedroom detached council house in As it is just myself and my partner Paul in our home the DWP has always deducted our joint Universal Credit claim for this by almost £100 in bedroom tax. Introduced in 2013 the policy is part of the British Welfare Reform Act 2012 and outlines that council or social housing tenants with rooms deemed to be "spare" face a reduction in housing benefit. Having one bedroom more than the calculated allowance means a reduction in housing benefit of 14 per cent, and two "spare" bedrooms means that a tenant will lose 25 per cent of their housing benefit. Read More on Real Lives The ruling states that one bedroom is allowed per adult couple and while I have three bedrooms I don't agree that we should be penalised for them. The £911 a month Universal Credit we received barely covered our rent and bills so to lose out on £94 to spare bedroom tax was out of the question. Conservative minister While many will be quick to agree, I do in fact need all of the bedrooms in my home. Most read in Fabulous The first spare 'bedroom' is upstairs and is completely inaccessible to my partner as he is a permanent wheelchair user. The two downstairs rooms are both under 3 x 3 metres so we need the extra room simply to store Paul's wheelchair and equipment such as wheelchair chargers and the two extra seats we removed from his car to fit his hoist and wheelchair in. Tragic 'suicide' of bedroom tax victim As the rooms are so small, Paul also needs his wardrobe in our spare room as the other room only fits a queen-sized bed and wheelchair. The spare bedroom tax penalises those with disabilities and I'm not the only one who thinks so. Two-thirds of the people affected are registered as disabled and when the policy was introduced many found themselves suddenly liable for the bedroom tax after deaths or after children had moved out of the home. In 2012 the High Court rejected the premise that the policy was a breach of Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights due to the effect on disabled people. The following year disabled grandmother Stephanie Bottrill took her own life after struggling to cope with the newly introduced tax on the three bedroom home she had lived in for 18 years. The law has since been amended so that those whose bedrooms stand empty as a result of death are exempt. Prickling with the injustice of our own situation, I asked the DWP to reconsider what we are entitled to, known as a mandatory reconsideration. When this was rejected with an official letter, I made the decision to take the DWP to court, a tribunal all DWP claimants are entitled to if they disagree with a decision. 5 Erica took the DWP to court over the dispute and won Credit: SUPPLIED 5 Only the downstairs area of their home (seen here) is accessible to her partner Paul Credit: Erica Cartier It wasn't the first time I'd done this. In 2013 my PIP for schizophrenia was stopped. According to the DWP I couldn't possibly work part-time as a journalist if I really had schizophrenia. It didn't seem to matter that I was working from home, mostly from my bed on my laptop, always in my PJs and never working more than 16 hours a week. Back then I also disagreed with the decision to stop my PIP and asked for a mandatory reconsideration. After they rejected this, I took the DWP to court and the judge ruled I was indeed entitled to middle rate PIP - which was a higher rate than I'd expected. WHAT IS THE BEDROOM TAX? Called the under-occupancy policy, it was dubbed the Bedroom Tax as critics who condemned the changes faced by people on benefits amounted to a tax, due to the lack of social housing for affected people to downsize to. Having one bedroom more than the calculated allowance means a reduction in housing benefit of 14 per cent, and two "spare" bedrooms means that a tenant will lose 25 per cent of their housing benefit. The penalties, which can see people affected losing a significant amount of their income or risk being evicted, have also been criticised as having a disproportionate impact on disabled people. In 2016 it was announced that the penalty would be extended to elderly people, despite promises from the government to protect the elderly from benefit cuts. Our court hearing this March only lasted 20 minutes. Armed with my packet of Lambert cigarettes and wearing my tracksuit, I calmly stated our case to the DWP representative. I was intimidated, so I only said the bare bones of our case, that I disagreed with the DWP's decision to add bedroom tax for two spare rooms to our Universal Credit payment each month. We got lucky with our representative who said that the decision to add bedroom tax to our benefits was 'utterly ridiculous' especially when the upstairs room was inaccessible by wheelchair. So a month after the ruling, I got a lump sum of £600 and an extra £94 a month in Universal Credit. I've invested the £600 in a desk, a sewing machine and new laptop which I hope, when further benefits cuts take place next year, might help make an income from writing and clothing alterations. If, like me, you disagree with a decision made about your benefits don't stay silent. Ask for your mandatory reconsideration and if you still disagree, take it to a tribunal. Be sure to read all documents in full and they will outline the steps that you need to take, to further your claim. I've won the two appeals and now my benefits income has been boosted to £1,004 a month, more than ever before. That doesn't make me greedy or a scrounger, it's just what I am entitled to. 5 Erica secured an additional lump sum in repayments and saw her benefits boosted to £1004
