❄️ Snowflake Jack Monroe / Melissa "Mel" Hadjicostas / Jack Xatzinikolas / @BootstrapCook - Spaghetti hoop rinser who wants to live like Common People, the face of poverty in Britain, literally can't lie

[Legal Gengar]

Apparently she's working with the ONS on her 'Vimes Boots Index'....

@Legal Gengar should be easy to fire of an FOI to them to see if it's true (it's not). Might be useful confirmation for you that she's lying...

Already done. I've also asked all the major supermarkets to comment on whether they lowered their prices when they found out she was working on the VBI. This is allegedly what she claimed in her interview earlier this week, and is why the VBI is so delayed...

 

[Trombonista]

I don't get how anyone could have read the Weetabix excerpt and actually believed it. I doubt Monroe has been poor for even a day.

 

[Palla Strozzi]

I don't get how anyone could have read the Weetabix excerpt and actually believed it. I doubt Monroe has been poor for even a day.

A couple of other things like that (which really remind you of just how fucking stupid so many people are), which she is completely open about:
changing her name during 'the poverty' - this sort of thing entails pretty steep administrative/clerical fees, and then once the name is changed legally, there are more large expenses in the form of paying for new ID that conforms to the changed legal name.
the tattoos - just glancing at her arms shows an investment of at least ₤5,000.
How anyone could believe it for a second is actually quite a depressing thought.
edit: @Legal Gengar: understand you don't want to post publicly about this sort of thing, but when you can, keep us updated on your plans, and best of luck.

 

[Octopi]

changing her name during 'the poverty' - this sort of thing entails pretty steep administrative/clerical fees

No, it doesn't. Deed polls are completely free in the UK, they don't even necessitate the price tag of a statutory declaration from a solicitor.
If she got a new passport in the changed name, yes, that would incur costs. But you can continue to travel on a passport with an outdated name provided you book flights etc in the same name on the ID.

The tattoos are the most telling sign of disposable income, IMO. And sideboards or whatever the fuck it was.

 

[Palla Strozzi]

No, it doesn't. Deed polls are completely free in the UK, they don't even necessitate the price tag of a statutory declaration from a solicitor

https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll - ₤42.44. Maybe not 'pretty steep' I admit (although I think it is, lol) but hardly affordable if you've unscrewed all the lightbulbs and unplugged the fridge etc.

 

[Octopi]

https://www.gov.uk/change-name-deed-poll - ₤42.44. Maybe not 'pretty steep' I admit (although I think it is, lol) but hardly affordable if you've unscrewed all the lightbulbs and unplugged the fridge etc.

That's only for enrolled ones, unenrolled ones are completely free and achieve the same goal. Enrolled ones leave a permanent link between your old name and your new one, so it is highly unlikely Mx Monroe went for that option.

 

[Palla Strozzi]

unenrolled ones are completely free and achieve the same goa

Not really. If you read further, it explains that banks and other institutions will require an enrolled one. You can use the unenrolled one in your daily life, but its utility will be quite limited as it won't 'officially' change the name any institutions deal with you under. Seeing as she did officially change her name at some point (eg, Companies House lists her as 'Mx. Jack Monroe') I think she did the enrolled one. But it is fair enough to say that she might have submitted the enrolled deed poll at a later point, outside of the 'poverty timeline.' I guess I just don't believe that there ever was a 'poverty timeline.'

 

[Octopi]

Not really. If you read further, it explains that banks and other institutions will require an enrolled one. You can use the unenrolled one in your daily life, but its utility will be quite limited as it won't 'officially' change the name any institutions deal with you under. Seeing as she did officially change her name at some point (eg, Companies House lists her as 'Mx. Jack Monroe') I think she did the enrolled one. But it is fair enough to say that she might have submitted the enrolled deed poll at a later point, outside of the 'poverty timeline.' I guess I just don't believe that there ever was a 'poverty timeline.'

I guess this is a bit "trust me bro" but I changed my surname via deed poll 10+ years ago and have used it for bank accounts, a new passport, and a new licence. Never paid a penny. I have heard of some institutions being dubious but printing it on glossy paper seems to do the trick - I never had a problem personally.

The Companies House is an interesting question though. My understanding has always been that the enrolment merely makes the name change a matter of public record, so maybe that would only be necessary if she owned the company prior to the legal name change?

https://freedeedpoll.org.uk/free

 

[Palla Strozzi]

I guess this is a bit "trust me bro" but I changed my surname via deed poll 10+ years ago and have used it for bank accounts, a new passport, and a new licence. Never paid a penny. I have heard of some institutions being dubious but printing it on glossy paper seems to do the trick - I never had a problem personally.

Happy to trust you and to be wrong!
(I think there's also quite a bit of a difference between a surname change and a change of both first and last name - esp. with regard to the amounts of discretion/credibility you can expect in dealing with institutions you're seeking to use the new name with).

 

[CrossedTubes]

Unenrolled deed polls work for nearly everything.

Spoiler: deed poll sperg

Mine has been accepted by several government depts, banks, passport office, work, electoral register, council etc.

In fact there's a bit of discourse about the reasonableness of requiring someone provide an enrolled one, as it not only makes a permanent link between old and new names, it also requires you to make a public record of your address. Self-doxing isn't very safe, for example, for women fleeing domestic abuse, or others who for whatever reason need to keep a low profile. I don't recall the exact court ruling but there's been at least one where a judge has confirmed that an enrolled deed poll does not in itself change your name, it is just a very formal way of evidencing that your name has changed, and it may not be reasonable to require people to have one to access basic services in their new name.

Funnily, a deed poll of any sort isn't strictly required under English law - using a new name is what actually changes your name - got to love those remnants of medieval common law. That said, nearly everywhere will require a bit of paper to evidence it, even if it's just a generico printout deed that you got 2 friends to witness.

I also wonder if she's been in touch with the estate of Terry Pratchett. I'm sure she wouldn't do something like monetise the Vimes Boot Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness without permission.

 

[East_Clintwood]

I also wonder if she's been in touch with the estate of Terry Pratchett. I'm sure she wouldn't do something like monetise the Vimes Boot Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness without permission.

It's mentioned in the OP that the daughter apparently previously okayed it, because this isn't the first time she's tried this bullshit.

 

[Carpe Jugulum]

I also wonder if she's been in touch with the estate of Terry Pratchett. I'm sure she wouldn't do something like monetise the Vimes Boot Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness without permission

Pratchett’s daughter is a LGBTQPWTFBBQ handmaiden and between her and Gaimen is doing an excellent job of perverting her father’s work.

 

[Legal Gengar]

A couple of other things like that (which really remind you of just how fucking stupid so many people are), which she is completely open about:
changing her name during 'the poverty' - this sort of thing entails pretty steep administrative/clerical fees, and then once the name is changed legally, there are more large expenses in the form of paying for new ID that conforms to the changed legal name.
the tattoos - just glancing at her arms shows an investment of at least ₤5,000.
How anyone could believe it for a second is actually quite a depressing thought.
edit: @Legal Gengar: understand you don't want to post publicly about this sort of thing, but when you can, keep us updated on your plans, and best of luck.

Technically, you don't actually need to file any sort of paperwork. In English and Welsh law (I don't know about Scotland) there is a common law presumption that you may go by any name you please, provided you don't have the intent to deceive anyone. Of course, banks and other establishments "demand" paperwork - but there is no legal requirement to do so.

However, to make it easier I believe the Government now offers "enrolled" changes of name via deed poll.

Regarding her name change, an "enrolled" one would appear in The Gazette and I don't see hers listed in there at all.

 

[Palla Strozzi]

Regarding her name change, an "enrolled" one would appear in The Gazette and I don't see hers listed in there at all.

This might not be her, but it seems there's another possible company/business entity of some sort (other than 'On a Bootstrap' - see OP): Jack Monroe Limited (https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Belfast/issue/7793/supplement/36 - from your results list). I doubt it's her (the only results seem to be from the Belfast one) but possible.
Also, looks like her brother Yannis is in the RAF (apologies if we already know this): https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/61630/supplement/14072

 

[glioblastoma multiforme]

can confirm that you can change your name fully without paying or via deed poll. or at least you used to be able to. have a family member who did back in the day, never got it officially but his passport, drivers license etc all say the name he changed to. i strongly suspect that it would be much more difficult to get official documentation now than when he did.

@Legal Gengar, not asking you to dox Jack, but i'm curious- can you put her postcode in here https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands and let us know what council tax band she's in? no worries if you don't feel comfortable doing so, i'm just being nosy.

i was trying to find out earlier and all i saw was a tattle post saying she's in band G. for any non-brits, A is poor or normal, B is better off end of normal, and C upwards is fucking loaded imo. H is the highest, millonaires row type areas. its based on the value of your property and though not perfect its a fairly good indicator of how wealthy you actually are.

 

[Legal Gengar]

can confirm that you can change your name fully without paying or via deed poll. or at least you used to be able to. have a family member who did back in the day, never got it officially but his passport, drivers license etc all say the name he changed to. i strongly suspect that it would be much more difficult to get official documentation now than when he did.

@Legal Gengar, not asking you to dox Jack, but i'm curious- can you put her postcode in here https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-bands and let us know what council tax band she's in? no worries if you don't feel comfortable doing so, i'm just being nosy.

i was trying to find out earlier and all i saw was a tattle post saying she's in band G. for any non-brits, A is poor or normal, B is better off end of normal, and C upwards is fucking loaded imo. H is the highest, millonaires row type areas. its based on the value of your property and though not perfect its a fairly good indicator of how wealthy you actually are.

Council Band F. The property has not been "improved or extended" since this rate was set (there's no "with effect date" listed so presumably the F banding has been used since this system was set up - I believe the valuation system hasn't changed in the 30+ years it's been operational for).

The "improvement indicator" (set to no) says "If the property has been improved or extended since it was placed in a Council Tax band, a Yes will be shown. If a Yes is shown, the band will be reviewed and may increase following the sale of the property."

She would pay £2,810.34/year in Council Tax for the property as outlined at https://www.southend.gov.uk/council-tax-bands-charges/council-tax-calculated

As an aside - I looked up my own Council Tax band and mine just says "Deleted"

 

[glioblastoma multiforme]

Council Band F

so she lives in a property that is so completely beyond the reach of the vast majority of the population its not even worth aspiring to. according to this: https://www.gov.uk/government/stati...l-tax-stock-of-properties-statistical-summary she is in the top 10% of properties based on value at whenever it was valued. and she is still claiming poverty. for someone who claims to be forced by circumstance to find ways of saving money she's missing the obvious solution of moving to a cheaper property.

i'm actually very surprised by the distribution, that less than 50% of properties are in bands A and B. though A, B and C make up 65.6% of the properties in the country, so i was wrong about C being the start of being loaded, that's the higher end of normal and better off starts at D.

As an aside - I looked up my own Council Tax band and mine just says "Deleted"

you are lucky! that means you don't have to pay until they figure it out again. not sure if they'll scalp you and backdate it at some point cos they can be slow about receiving notifications about stuff and actually billing you.

 

[Legal Gengar]

so she lives in a property that is so completely beyond the reach of the vast majority of the population its not even worth aspiring to. according to this: https://www.gov.uk/government/stati...l-tax-stock-of-properties-statistical-summary she is in the top 10% of properties based on value at whenever it was valued. and she is still claiming poverty. for someone who claims to be forced by circumstance to find ways of saving money she's missing the obvious solution of moving to a cheaper property.

i'm actually very surprised by the distribution, that less than 50% of properties are in bands A and B. though A, B and C make up 65.6% of the properties in the country, so i was wrong about C being the start of being loaded, that's the higher end of normal and better off starts at D.



you are lucky! that means you don't have to pay until they figure it out again. not sure if they'll scalp you and backdate it at some point cos they can be slow about receiving notifications about stuff and actually billing you.

Nah, I get the annual council tax letters regardless so I still have to pay. I believe my band is F or G, so I'm not exactly a man of the people myself

EDIT: I am blind and my council tax banding was right below the "deleted" one - it's Band G so almost at the top level.

 

[East_Clintwood]

for someone who claims to be forced by circumstance to find ways of saving money she's missing the obvious solution of moving to a cheaper property.

That's because according to Jack her landlord is a big ol' meanie pants doo doo head who refused to let her out of the tenancy after she broke up with her ex and forced her to stay and see it out. She was supposed to have moved out at the beginning of this year when it was finally up, but there was a (in her own words) minor paperwork snafu, that's somehow taking 7 months and counting to fix (fortunate that mister meanie landlord is cool with her continuing to stay instead of yeeting her lying ass out the door, right?)

so I'm not exactly a man of the people myself

Hey you're a man of the best people, our kind! Especially since unlike Jack you don't fucking lie and plead poverty about it.

 

[Legal Gengar]

She hadn't moved when we went to court back in June, so I wonder how true it is that she's actually moving at all.

She would have to account for any cash funds used to buy a property, as well as any funds used for a deposit. This would cover things like:

• Anti-money laundering checks to ensure the money isn't from the proceeds of crime, terrorism, etc.
• Any money gifted to her by someone else would need them to sign (and get notarised) a statement saying it's an irrevocable gift, they take no interest in the property, etc.
• The source of the money can be evidenced, e.g. from income, a salary, selling assets you own, etc. - they need to know how you got it in the first place

If she failed these checks, she would have to provide an explanation to be able to pass them, or otherwise accrue funds that can pass those checks.

Nothing else would really stop a move for so many months, unless she's particularly caught up on a covenant she doesn't want to agree to, or maybe there's a dispute over leaving the fixtures and fittings but those are easily resolved and she presumably has the money to just say "take them, I'll replace them" or whatever... so I don't really know what the paperwork issue could be...