CCCS- not a positive experience

opalfruits_2

Hi there, just to give an alternative money advice perspective.

I always include my client's DLA in their income and expenditure.

Firstly, the budget is often as much for the client's benefit as it is for the creditors, and it is not helpful for a client who receives £150 PCM DLA but spends £450 PCM in disability related expenditure to have large areas of their expenditure not referred to on the budget. How on earth can they see where they are overspending by and by how much if large swathes are "off limits" and are not included?

Secondly, if a client receives £150 PCM DLA and only spends £100 PCM then the £50 not spend can be positively used to help address their debt situation. If it is not included then the likelihood is that it will be spent on non essential expenditure which does not actually help the client's situation.

I don't know what this counsellor's policy on DLA is, or how/why she came to the figures she has done, but I can see how she may have got close. Not excusing her tone or behaviour either but again, a lot of my clients are so worried that although they are listening hard much of what I tell them doesn't get processed the first few times I say it. I spent an hour once trying to explain to a maths teacher the difference between 4 weekly and calendar monthly and why the figures on his budget were therefore not the same as he thought they should be. He was extremely intelligent, it's just that he was panicking.

Whether you go back to CCCS or somewhere else, you do need help to address your priority arrears. Keep your chin up, get the help and it'll all come out OK my love.