Kate Cassidy has addressed claims she was given a ‘living allowance’ (
Image: PA)

Kate Cassidy has spoken out on claims that she was paid a ‘living allowance’ by her late boyfriend paid her an allowance after she quit her regular job to be with him

Kate Cassidy has hit out at claims Liam Payne gave her a “living allowance.”

The former waitress has spoken for the first time since Liam’s death. Liam, who found fame as one fifth of One Direction tragically died in October 2024. Aged 31, Liam fell from the balcony of his third floor hotel room in Argentina, where he and Cassidy had been holidaying. He died after suffering multiple traumas leading to an “internal and external haemorrhage”.

In the wake of his death, social media had become flooded with claims about Kate’s living arrangements after she quit her regular job and moved to London to be with the Teardrops musician. When they met, Kate was working as a waitress in a South Carolina bar. One night in September 2022 changed her life forever when her childhood crushed refused to leave until he had her number.

Now, in a tearful interview, Kate has defended claims that she dated the mega star for his fame and fortune – insisting that this couldn’t be further from the truth. She said that there had been “a lot of speculation” about their relationship and was tarnished by certain labels.

Kate has shared that she had to quit her job to be with Liam

She responded to people who claimed she was given a living allowance’ after dating Liam ( 
Image:
Getty Images for Atlantis The Ro)

Due to her relationship with Liam, she claims it was near impossible to work a regular job due to his lifestyle. But, their relationship became “balanced”. She told The Sun: “So you know when people come and point a finger at me saying ‘you took an allowance and you had living expenses’ or whatever, at the end of the day it’s nobody’s business except for me and Liam.

“I never (asked him for money). Yeah, it’s upsetting but it’s just about having thick skin and I’m never going to let anybody tell me how my relationship was with Liam. The only two people that really know how strong a relationship was are me and Liam,” before explaining that their romance was similar to a movie. “I’ll never let anybody tell me otherwise,” she said.

Kate also responded to cruel comments shared online after she attended Liam’s funeral at St Mary’s Church in Amersham, Bucks, on November 20, 2024. His former One Direction bandmates, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan were also in attendance – the first time they had publicly reunited since Zayn quit the band.

Cheryl Tweedy, the mother of Liam’s young son, Bear, also attended. But Kate was accompanied by her friend, Damian, the son of model and actress Elizabeth Hurley. She chose to wear a long black dress and sunglasses as she arrived at the church. While some criticised her for choosing to attend in full glamour, Kate had one reason for doing this.

She explained she wanted to look beautiful for Liam “one last time” as this is how she would want him to remember her. Details of the funeral ceremony have been kept underwraps but Kate assured it was a “beautiful” send off for the star and his former bandmates had been “lovely” towards her.