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Benefits And Bank Charges Help

Hi there

I am writing to see what i can do about my bank, I cannot work due to having 3 children all under 6 the youngest born with a disability.
My bank HSBC, have decided that its right to charge me between £100 to £150 per month for going over even when i dont notice this happens due to having to buy electric and gas meter top ups for, sometimes i have no choice it wasnt an agreed overdraft with them i never signed nothing. I sent letter of to them recently, they sent me one back rejecting whats happening more or less saying they dont care. i should budget better.
I have to take 2 trips to sheffield hospital twice a week this costing me £30 in taxis each time i only recieve Income Support, Child Tax Credit, And Child Benefit.

What else can i do to stop this they've charged me again for going over by £7 last month twice i got £75 charge. and they wont help me! Can someone please give me some advice? Thanks in advance.
«134567

Comments

  • xylophone
    xylophone Posts: 46,008 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Try a debt/benefits adviser at your local CAB?
  • cockaleekee
    cockaleekee Posts: 622 Forumite
    Do you not receive DLA and Carers Allowance?

    It does sound like you need help with your budgeting - either CAB as suggested, or you could post your Statement of Affairs on the Debtfree Wannabe board?
  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 13,014 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    they are within their rights to charge of you overdraw, though the charges seem high.
    you can get a refund for fares to the hospital from the hospital cash office, though they may not pay for a taxi, just public transport.

    you would probably be better off stting up a firect debit to pay utilities, then the cost will be spread across the whole year.

    benefits for people with children are quite generous, abd you really will have to budget, otherwise most of your income will go on charges!
  • DanielJam
    DanielJam Posts: 15 Forumite
    Yes the dla is been sorted out now, they never had a diagnosis of the problem with my daughter still havent now, she had her m.r.i scan today and the doctors have to send some sort of report to dla so thats going through.

    I thought the bank wasnt allowed to take money out of peoples benefits at all, you all know how hard it is with money these days its costing a fortune for everything sometimes i have to overdraw a littlebit but it cant be helped life is a struggle, my car had to be scrapped so thats was one less problem just seems like things get harder i needed the car to take my daughter to hospital and kids to school which is like 2 miles away.

    But surely the bank is been unfair, i want to open a new bank but i dont have any photo id as my passport expired seems like im stuck in a rut but dont know how to get out of it.
  • bloolagoon
    bloolagoon Posts: 7,973 Forumite
    Try the debt boards. They know about this.
    Tomorrow is the most important thing in life
  • bloolagoon
    bloolagoon Posts: 7,973 Forumite
    nannytone wrote: »
    they are within their rights to charge of you overdraw, though the charges seem high.
    you can get a refund for fares to the hospital from the hospital cash office, though they may not pay for a taxi, just public transport.

    you would probably be better off stting up a firect debit to pay utilities, then the cost will be spread across the whole year.

    benefits for people with children are quite generous, abd you really will have to budget, otherwise most of your income will go on charges!

    How is a dd going to help with a meter? Disability benefits are also very generous, but you seem to overlook that.
    Tomorrow is the most important thing in life
  • Own_My_Own
    Own_My_Own Posts: 6,098 Forumite
    Xmas Saver!
    You should be able to get the cost of the hospital visits back if they were for appointments.

    http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Pages/Travelcosts.aspx

    Although I don't know if it covers taxis.
  • DanielJam
    DanielJam Posts: 15 Forumite
    edited 2 March 2013 at 8:44AM
    (Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

    I have no choice but to pay that £60 out a week to get my daughter to that hospital. She needs special treatment each week. I can support my kids and i do every penny i get goes on them. Just sometimes i go overdrawn each week. I dont drink, i dont do drugs, i dont smoke, and i dont gamble. Life is hard one what we have food is not cheap and neither is gas & electric.

    The gas and electric company offered me to go on DD instead of meters i said No due to the bank will take charge me for this when/if i dont have the money there.
  • DanielJam
    DanielJam Posts: 15 Forumite
    The benefits are generous yes, i did not want to go on benefits but had no choice i had to leave my job last year ive worked all my life up until now. I cannot simply work if i could i would. Ive paid my due to the stupid messed up goverment so dont judge me. I came here to ask advice on a simple thing.
  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 13,014 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    disability benefits are only generous if you get the higher rates. direct debits would help as there is no pre payment meter, so no need to top it up. the amount paid is the same every month.
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