SOA ... Final look over please

startagain_2

Thanks dalip,

I know tigerfeet said it was difficult to up a SOA once it has been submitted but I am going to say that it was a budget set in advance and in reality things have cost more than I expected ..... worth a shot, I suppose.
By reducing my hours at work and being at home more I am expecting my fuel bills to be more anyway, so your figure is probably nearer the truth than mine..

Best Wishes.... SA

natalouie

I would raise your Housekeeping as a start. Electricity would not be questioned unless it is an abnormally high amount, especialy if you do not have gas. I would only include your basic wage as a starting point. How can you depend on overtime it could stop at any time. I have never ever seen a claim for Dry Cleaning and I type these forms for a living. Bit of a long shot. Do you smoke? Cigarettes seem to be allowable. Hard to prove also.
natalouie

philnicandamy

I've known many members here claim for dry cleaning & come away successfull.....cigarettes though are a different story

mum2one

dalip wrote: »

Well for one i think you could increase your electric to at least £70 maybe even £80,,seeing as you have no gas.........well not the fuel type anyway:rotfl:

Great minds think alike was about to suggest upping the elec as no gas, bear in mind that as ur bill goes up over winter, so your estimated for a yr / 12. x

startagain_2

Thanks everyone.... the appointment is drawing closer!!!
I will up the leccy and groceries, definitely.
No I don't smoke, very, very anti I am afraid.
Going to disagree with putting my basic salary, it doesn't reflect the true situation and by the time I get my first wage after the interview I would be informing the OR of an increase in income.... no thanks.
I am intending to keep contact to the minimum, with a realistic figure for overtime, unless she slashes my SOA which I doubt. Then if overtime does disappear completely I shall have to review my whole situation, not just the OR, as I won't have enough to live on.
Thanks again, have a good day everyone.
SA

mum2one

What I would suggest with ur income, is take any documents that show what ur hours are say such as contract, that way you have covered all avenues so if the worst happened and u ended up with the basic hours they would at least be aware of it. x
Good luck with the appointment xx

natalouie

Sorry, Start again! I am a life long non smoker too but I type many forms with an allowance for cigarettes. I will check with my employer as to whether they are allowed to go through as do not want to mislead any one. Do not know how the OR views this. Can you just cut people off from ciggies? Will enquire.

startagain_2

natalouie wrote: »

Sorry, Start again! I am a life long non smoker too but I type many forms with an allowance for cigarettes. I will check with my employer as to whether they are allowed to go through as do not want to mislead any one. Do not know how the OR views this. Can you just cut people off from ciggies? Will enquire.

Tell me natalouie,

I am surprised that your job is typing BR forms, as most of the posters on here complete their own. Do you work for one of the companies that charge for this service? You seem very knowledgeable.

SA

Debt_Free_Chick

startagain wrote: »

Going to disagree with putting my basic salary, it doesn't reflect the true situation and by the time I get my first wage after the interview I would be informing the OR of an increase in income.... no thanks.

There's no "right or wrong" approach here, but just to balance out your view ....

The BR process and everything that goes with it is a formal promise sworn in Court.

If your employer cuts back on extra hours and your income falls, if you cannot then meet whatever payments you are required to, then you have to go back to the OR anyway.

Whatever you decide to do, make it clear on your SOA. So if you include overtime, state this clearly so that the OR can decide how much to take into account and what to do in the months when you have more or less than the estimate.

Don't "be brave" and make out that the income on your SOA is guaranteed, if it includes some OT

HTH

startagain_2

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

There's no "right or wrong" approach here, but just to balance out your view ....

The BR process and everything that goes with it is a formal promise sworn in Court.

If your employer cuts back on extra hours and your income falls, if you cannot then meet whatever payments you are required to, then you have to go back to the OR anyway.

Whatever you decide to do, make it clear on your SOA. So if you include overtime, state this clearly so that the OR can decide how much to take into account and what to do in the months when you have more or less than the estimate.

Don't "be brave" and make out that the income on your SOA is guaranteed, if it includes some OT

HTH

Thanks for that, I have enclosed a letter with my statements and paperwork explaining the situation and my payslips clearly state basic salary and overtime as two different amounts.
I have stressed that it is not guaranteed and have purposely set it at an amount that is under the IPA surplus. If I earn less, so be it, the OR doesn't pay me money so it doesn't really make much difference. It is only if it brings in an IPA that I need worry, surely?
I will of course declare any changes in income anyway, but would rather set it as the "truth" at the moment, but I will make sure she is absolutely clear how my income is made up.
Thanks so much for your replies everyone, as always....

SA