This Morning’s off-grid parents reveal how they fund natural lifestyle

They acknowledge living close to nature is expensive

off grid parents on benefits

by Cate Sutherland |
Published on

This Morning's off-grid parents Matt and Adele Allen rely on government benefits to fund their expensive natural lifestyle.

The couple hit the headlines this week when they appeared on television and their child urinated on the studio carpet.

They have since revealed they rely on handouts to fund their unconventional lifestyle including housing benefit, child benefit and child tax credit.

They claim: "We are living in a country with an unfair family taxation system that does not support home education or recognise those providing care for the family, including home educators."

The controversial couple were quick to point out they don’t use state schools or the NHS for their "highly sensitive" kids. But they pay reduced council tax and enjoy public libraries, museums and parks.

Not surprisingly, the majority of their money goes on food (to supplement their own garden and "foraging") along with public transport given they don’t have a car and never take holidays.

Most of their furniture plus clothes and toys for the kids are second hand, "free cycled" or "gifts from their nan". Fortunately there’s enough left over to fund some computers and an iPad (but no TV).

Living in a one bedroom flat by the beach in Brighton may be a dream for many people, but the Allens are fed up with Britain and have started a crowd funding campaign to send them to Costa Rica.

They’re after £100,000 to set up their self-sufficient lifestyle that can double down as a source of income as they advise others on how to live the nature dream.

off grid parents on benefits

Both Adele and Matt do some part-time work to top up their benefits. Adele writes for parenting sites such as mom.me and husband Matt is a freelance yoga instructor and health coach.

They wrote: "We are in debt like much of the country including student loans and overdraft and do our best to pay back what we can afford.

"At the end of the day, we as humans have created a system where we are the only species who pay for our basic survival requirements and we all need money to live.

"We hope everyone who desires to make their lives better can find the courage to reach out and improve their situation also in whatever way they can.”

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