Her family do seem close, on the surface. They spend Christmas and New Year together, they go for meals together at the Toby Carvery and she takes the grandchildren on holiday. But, if you think about it, it's only when she's paying or they get it free. You rarely see them going to hers for a Sunday roast, apart from one of the unfortunate twins that's always there.
I think she's awful to Helen, always getting digs in about her, flirting with her husband, which is absolutely sickening. I'd never speak to mum again if she did that. Kev flirts with Richard to upset Helen, I really do think Kev's a closeted lesbian, she gets weirdly obsessed with women, so I don't think she fancies Richard at all. She does want Richard to fancy her though because she's a sad little trog with low self esteem.
She also knows, deep down, that her daughter and her family put up with her to keep the peace, rather than true genuine love.