One mother-of-8 who has lost her job claims that she is forced to use food banks after losing her social security benefits.
Marie Buchan’s child benefits and tax credits have been cut by around £160 per week because her two oldest children are now over the age of 16.
Following her appearance on reality TV, the 39 year-old from Selly Oak (Birmingham) is known as ‘Octomum and ‘Britain’s welfare queen’.
An unemployed mother-of-8 claims she is forced to use food banks after losing her child support. In 2021, she is pictured with her children.
Marie Buchan’s child benefits and tax credits have been cut by around £160 per week because her two oldest children are now over the age of 16. Photographed in 2015 with her children
Following her appearance on reality TV, the 39 year-old from Selly Oak (Birmingham) is known as Octomum’ or ‘Britain’s welfare queen’.
She said: ‘It is a huge struggle for me. As two of my daughters have reached the age of 16, I’ve had to lose my tax credit as well as child benefit.
‘I am around £160 per week worse off now. This is hard work and I rely on food banks to get by. At the moment, I rely on food banks to survive.
“You must do whatever it takes to survive, and that is why I’m so thankful I have them to help me. Their help is life-saving for me, and many others.
She has eight children, aged 20, 16, 15, 13, 11 and 10 years old.
Ms. Buchan says that she worries about finding work because of being called an ‘octomum.
“Unfortunately, I was given the nickname of octomum. That has stuck.” This is what’s keeping me from finding a job.
I have been rejected for many jobs. Although employers seem interested at first, they soon realize who I really am and reject me.
“I am afraid I won’t be able shake this octomum tag.”
Last month, Ms Buchan revealed how she receives horrendous online abuse from haters who tell her she is a ‘s***’ and say they ‘hope she dies’.
She stated that some of the abuse she receives is just plain vile. They call me a parasite, a s*** and they ‘hope I die soon’.
“Others claim I am a scrounger” and they have threatened to take me out and teach me a lesson.
Ms. Buchan claims that her nickname of ‘octomum’ has made it so she worries she’ll never be able to find work.
Ms. Buchan admitted that she was isolating herself at home from coronavirus in January. She became very ill, and had to be hospitalized.
“It is sometimes hell. Although I do not know how people feel about being so terrible, it is likely that they get some sort of sickness kicks.
“It can be very difficult at times to understand that material and it is also extremely distressing for children. It can make it even harder to feel low, and that can cause you to sink further.
It must end. It is difficult to understand what an impact can have on someone in the spotlight. Due to threats, I’ve called the police several times before.
Ms Buchan lives in a housing association property. She currently receives benefits, but she is actively looking for employment.
Ms. Buchan admitted that she was isolating herself at home from coronavirus in January. She became very ill, and had to be hospitalized.
She was taken home by an ambulance and then transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she received a drip.
Ms. Buchan shared how she thought that she was dying from bloody coughing and had to have a series of coughing fits. But she survived.