Mum divides opinion after asking son to contribute £20 a week before he goes to uni

A mum has divided opinion on social media after she asked her 'livid' son to contribute £20 a week to household expenses in the months before he's set to start university.

As many of us are all too aware right now, the cost of living crisis is really taking its toll on daily life - not just in the UK, but across the world.

As a result, many families have been struggling financially in the last few months, when they wouldn't normally do so.

And to ease the pressure brought on by the cost of living crisis, this unnamed mother has asked her son to contribute to the monthly bills.

The British mum took to the parenting forum Mumsnet to explain her predicament.

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She revealed that her son earns between £800 and £900 a month through a part-time job, and she has suggested that he should give her £80 a month - something she clarified in the comments, as she originally said £80 a week in the original post.

The mum added that her son is currently studying at college and is set start university in September, something he has already saved around £2,000 for.

However, the 18-year-old did not take too kindly to the request, with the mum claiming he is 'f**king livid about this situation'.

But the mum did say that things are 'really, really tough' for her family financially at the moment.

She said the money provided by her son would make up for the £60 a month she is losing from child benefit.

The mum took to the parenting forum though to ask if it was fair to ask her son to contribute to the family bills, and the reaction was certainly divided.

There were quite a few who said the son should definitely be pulling his weight as he is earning money.

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"He has very few other outgoings," one person said. "£80 / month will not put him in the poorhouse or damage his uni savings, but it might help him to understand that life costs money."

While a second added: "I earned about £1000 a month when I was 17, my mum charged me £300! He's getting a good deal here I reckon."

However, there were a few parents who said the mum was being a little unfair on her son, especially as he hopes to start university later this year.

"He's done well to save but he knows he'll need it for uni," one person remarked.

"Its not his fault you lose benefits you came to rely on. Dont punish him for it."

And a second added: "If he's in school saving for uni then I don't think this really on, sorry."