hummm, I'm scared.

sarahs999

I hate it when people disappear like this. You never know what's happened.

sillylittlejill

Oh, hun, I so wish I could give you a hug. I hate reading things like this, please come back, we will get through it all together.

I honestly feel like I might have ended it all in the past few months if it wasn't for my OH and this forum and everyone on it!

Please stay on here. I would personally make an appointment with Citizens Advice and take any unopened post with you and all the info and they should be able to help you with getting all the benefits you are entitled to as well.

Hope things are getting better for you.

:hugs:

xxxx

hana5

Hiya, a bit later n not sure if its already been said but if its not clear where the debt for the gas or leccy came from u can query it. Did u fone up with a meter reading when u first moved into the property? Cos if not bills can go by estimates and can often be inaccurate. Ive even know debts to be on accounts when there's a pre-pay meter (ie, unable to get gas unless it was prepaid) simply because the meter reading showed that the customer had used more gas than then had. If u dont know where the debt comes from ask them to explain, i suspect it can b queried if it's based solely on esatimated reads for when u moved in, or if the meter readings dont match up. Its worth a try...
GOOD LUCK. Chin up, chest out! N good luck wi uni, i know how hard it can b keeping up wi both payments n uni work but it is doable. Find ppl there to chill out n enjoy urself with too n then the world seems a much better place...

kadiya

Topsy, if you get chance to come back and read this, first thing I would say is...
DONT PANIC!!!
As you are at uni, call Student Loans and make sure you are getting all the grants etc that you are entitled too.
Go and see a counsellor at the university and see if you can apply for an extra grant to help out with costs.All universities have a hardship grant 'pot' they can dip into to help you out.
Call the benefits helpline and see if you would be entitled to any Income support/ housing benefit/ coucil tax benefit.
Go to the CAB and see what, if anything, they can do to help you, or if there is anywhere they can point you in the direction of.
They will also be able to help you to write letters to the people you owe money to.
I think there is also somewhere called payplan(?) I read about on someone elses thread, they really helped him to sort his finances out and get the debts being paid again.
Call CTC...I know they have told you that you owe them money, but surely having a small amount of money has got to be better than having non at all? If no joy, discuss it with your CAB advisor who may be able to help you work something out with them.

Big Hugs to you, I know it's scary but you can do it!!

sallymander

Hiya Topsy, I can't add anymore advice to whats already been said, but just concentrate on making small steps, even if its one small thing a day or every few days. When you first face up to your debt it can seem overwhelming, but from now on it can only get smaller!

If you remember one thing please let it be that you are not alone, there are people out there to help and even in the blackest of moments there is a way through, you just might not be able to see it yet.

This forum is the best tool ever for financial help and if you have managed to struggle through 12 months without it, just think what can be done now you have access to so much good advice (not saying mines any good though ....lol).

There are people on here that care about you and im sure between us all we can help you through with words of advice and encouragement, but the best way to use this forum is to keep posting! We need to know what how you are doing so that we can help you face the next hurdle ... and not only that it keeps you motivated. There is no better feeling than having a signature on here with your total owed and then showing how its reducing each time you pay some off or get it removed some other way.... believe me!

But most all a big hug to you xxxxx

SmileyFi

Hi Topsy,

Like you I've been lurking & reading for a while; well done for reaching out and making first posting (prompting me to do same).

I was vaguely aware of different options after racking up £48K debt (actually, mostly accrued since I stopped being a student with young kids - guess the 'big' earnings went to my head and I went overboard on the spending & spoiling them!) and couldn't manage all the payments for the first time last month, but jumped in with PayPlan after my sister recommended them.

Only just signed up, but no problems so far. Biggest difficulty was fitting in with opening hours to get a new bank account set up (moving away from where I owe most money to) - Clydesdale turned me away when I was up front about why I wanted to open an account with them, but Abbey National have been great.

PayPlan help you work out what you can afford to pay towards all debts after essential spending/living expenses. Paying them each month (around half of what I would have been paying to individual accounts) will take me just over 7 years to clear if they're able to get all interest frozen. Pretty sole destroying, but the sooner I get started...

Hang in there, and thanks for the inspiration!

gettingbetter

:hello:topsy

please come back and let us know how you are
we all care and want to help

kas xx

mum2one

Hope Topsy comes back, a lot of people have taken time and effort to help,I can fully understand its a difficult situation, but one way or another we have been in and are still in financial difficulty. x

terill

Dear Topsy,

You must apply for tax credits. Around 3 years ago they told me that I owed them a similar amount of money to you which was frightening but they still pay me around £500 a month (this includes nursery fees) and take around £20 a month off to pay the debt. I would write to them (with CAB's help) and reapply and ask for backdated payments explaining why you did not ask for them for the last 2 years as you were scared of the amount you owed. I think their policy is 3 months backdated pay maximum but those CAB guys are brilliant at writing just the right thing to get more for you. Also, I know this may sound strange but from one dpression sufferer to another- this will help your cause. If you have been prescribed medication for it from your GP, you can say you were too depressed to apply for all the benefits you were elligible for and were not thinking straight. this may just swing it for a nice big backdated cheque.

As a single mother/student you do not pay council tax and really should only be paying a fraction of your rent. get down the civic centre and fill in those Housing/council tax benefit forms. it takes time but then again you get the money backdated- remember to give your reasons for wanting the money backdated for longer than 3 months if you are elligible. If you are not going to pay council tax any longer perhaps your lovely F-in-law could pay another bill for you.

As for the breakdown cover for the car- I have never paid for it. I get the RAC cover for free via Tesco clubcard vouchers and Tesco is not my main shop. my main shop is either Aldi or Lidl. Tesco is really just for bread and milk and top-ups.

Obviously, I do not know why your ex is not paying more but if it is possible, he really must. Oh, and as I am a teacher- you should not pay a penny for that school trip. Request a meeting with the Head and explain.

Big big hugs and kisses. You will be shocked at how much money you are missing out on XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX