Revised SOA and additional questions

DecisionTime

Still trying to get a bit more clarity with regard to the SOAs

Taking into account some helpful advice from members of this forum, conversations with the Insolvency Service and reviewing the appropriate section of the OR Technical Manual, I have adjusted our SOAs (again) as shown below.

At the same time, I’ve been told that the ORs are not completely bureaucratic and don’t just go ‘by the book’ but exercise personal judgement as to what is reasonable. I note someone said that those on the forum with experience ‘know what the (acceptable) numbers are’ – but it can still be pretty confusing to us newbies when there appears to be conflicting info! :0(

Here are a couple of questions in no particular order (Any allowances quoted are for 2 adults no children, as advised by the Insolvency Service):

1) The current allowable figure for gas/electricity combined is currently £75. Somewhere someone advised us we ‘should put £60 + £60’ and is more than our actual anyway. Surely the higher figures would be disallowed anyway?


2) There is apparently a current clothing allowance of up to £102pm. No-one has mentioned this item before and it has not been in a previous SOA of ours, but I’ve put a guesstimate figure in this one. Anyone got any guidance as to what might be considered ‘reasonable’ (if those figures are not) for 2 adults, both working and needing to wear presentable business clothes?

3) We currently have two items in the SOA which no-one has said ‘take out’ (and someone previously said ‘put in’) yet, but I just want to check. One is an ‘Emergency Fund’ of £30 per month between us, and the other ‘Birthday Presents’ at £20 per month between us. Not sure if expenditure for the former is expected to come out of ‘Housekeeping’ rather than be separate, and if the other would be considered as ‘unnecessary social expenditure’. Again, can anyone advise from experience.

The revised SOA is below, if anyone is willing to comment.

Sorry to keep asking so many questions and thanks for all the advice everyone so kindly gives. Hope I'll be equipped to contribute in the future when I've got all this sorted out.


Rent (shared)........................900....450
Council Tax (shared)...............140.....60
Housekeeping (shared)............280...120
Water (shared)........................21......9
Electric (shared)......................35.....15
Gas (shared)...........................28.....12
Contents Insurance (shared).....14.......6
Mobiles (individual)..................25.....15
Phone (shared)........................20.....10
Petrol.....................................45.... 15
Car Insurance (shared)..............21......9
Car Maintenance (shared)..........30.....10
Road Tax (shared).....................7.......3
TV License (shared)...................8.......4
Broadband (shared)..................10......5
(Legitimately required for work)
Clothing………………………………………40……20
Dry Cleaning………………………………10…….10
Medical/Optical (individual)........30....30
(we are both 60s with health issues)
Personal Care (individual)..........10....10
Car Parking (shared).................10......5
Birthday Presents (shared).........10....10
Holiday Fund (shared)................30....10
Emergency Fund (shared)............20...10

Zandytobedebtfree

DecisionTime wrote: »

Still trying to get a bit more clarity with regard to the SOAs

Taking into account some helpful advice from members of this forum, conversations with the Insolvency Service and reviewing the appropriate section of the OR Technical Manual, I have adjusted our SOAs (again) as shown below.

At the same time, I’ve been told that the ORs are not completely bureaucratic and don’t just go ‘by the book’ but exercise personal judgement as to what is reasonable. I note someone said that those on the forum with experience ‘know what the (acceptable) numbers are’ – but it can still be pretty confusing to us newbies when there appears to be conflicting info! :0(

Here are a couple of questions in no particular order (Any allowances quoted are for 2 adults no children, as advised by the Insolvency Service):

1) The current allowable figure for gas/electricity combined is currently £75. Somewhere someone advised us we ‘should put £60 + £60’ and is more than our actual anyway. Surely the higher figures would be disallowed anyway?


2) There is apparently a current clothing allowance of up to £102pm. No-one has mentioned this item before and it has not been in a previous SOA of ours, but I’ve put a guesstimate figure in this one. Anyone got any guidance as to what might be considered ‘reasonable’ (if those figures are not) for 2 adults, both working and needing to wear presentable business clothes?

3) We currently have two items in the SOA which no-one has said ‘take out’ (and someone previously said ‘put in’) yet, but I just want to check. One is an ‘Emergency Fund’ of £30 per month between us, and the other ‘Birthday Presents’ at £20 per month between us. Not sure if expenditure for the former is expected to come out of ‘Housekeeping’ rather than be separate, and if the other would be considered as ‘unnecessary social expenditure’. Again, can anyone advise from experience.

The revised SOA is below, if anyone is willing to comment.

Sorry to keep asking so many questions and thanks for all the advice everyone so kindly gives. Hope I'll be equipped to contribute in the future when I've got all this sorted out.


Rent (shared)........................900....450
Council Tax (shared)...............140.....60
Housekeeping (shared)............280...120
Water (shared)........................21......9
Electric (shared)......................35.....15
Gas (shared)...........................28.....12
Contents Insurance (shared).....14.......6
Mobiles (individual)..................25.....15
Phone (shared)........................20.....10
Petrol.....................................45.... 15
Car Insurance (shared)..............21......9
Car Maintenance (shared)..........30.....10
Road Tax (shared).....................7.......3
TV License (shared)...................8.......4
Broadband (shared)..................10......5
(Legitimately required for work)
Clothing………………………………………40……20 You can put this up to £110 - see below
Dry Cleaning………………………………10…….10
Medical/Optical (individual)........30....30
(we are both 60s with health issues)
Personal Care (individual)..........10....10
Car Parking (shared).................10......5
Birthday Presents (shared).........10....10
Holiday Fund (shared)................30....10
Emergency Fund (shared)............20...10

Categories of essential expenditure 2 adults - no children

Housekeeping, including food and cleaning £394
Gas, electricity, other heating £75
Water £32
Telephone charges £48
Clothing £112
The above figures are from the Household Expenditure list from the Insolvency Website.

If you fill in your SOA on this site, then post on here, it will be easier for us to look at -http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

As to the Emergency Fund and Birthdays, what we mean by possibly taking off your SOA is, if you leave it on there, and the OR does not allow this allowance, then the amounts will be added to any surplus amount that you may already have, and if this amount goes over £99, then you may get a IPA. So if you can put these figures within something else, then try and do that. I hope that makes sense!!