Qualify for hardship??

QuestionMark_2

Hi,

I have incurred several bank charges over the past 2 years (more than £ 1000 due to bouncing DD's), and am now in arrears with rent (600) and council tax (400).

Unfortunately, my financial problems are caused by a gambling addiction (online poker). This means that some months I spend (lose) over £ 800 online, causing a serious shortfall in my finances.

Would i qualify to claim under financial hardship?

I know i brought these problems on myself, and am ashamed about it. However, I do consider my gambling problems to be an illness, and am looking to get help for it.

Any comments greatly appreciated.

natweststaffmember

QuestionMark wrote: »

Hi,

I have incurred several bank charges over the past 2 years (more than £ 1000 due to bouncing DD's), and am now in arrears with rent (600) and council tax (400).

Unfortunately, my financial problems are caused by a gambling addiction (online poker). This means that some months I spend (lose) over £ 800 online, causing a serious shortfall in my finances.

Would i qualify to claim under financial hardship?

I know i brought these problems on myself, and am ashamed about it. However, I do consider my gambling problems to be an illness, and am looking to get help for it.

Any comments greatly appreciated.

Banks will look at disposable income, you do tick boxes for financial hardship but if you do complete an income and expenditure form, it may show a surplus and they may reject the claim on that basis. Worth asking the bank the question, but do not expect huge amounts. OK?
And, I congratulate you for trying to deal with the gambling issue. It's a positive step.

MrLeeLee

Well done for facing the gambling addiction head on.

I to am in financial difficulty, and tried to reclaim my bank charges with HSBC. I was deep in my overdraft, and because i am currently jobless and on DLA the only way i could think of getting out of it, was by betting.

I wrote to them, and got a call saying i didn't qualify because (among other reasons) the fact i was spending money on betting showed that i had enough money to live off. They didnt seem to understand i was only betting to try get out of my overdraft.

I have since stopped all my betting and i am nearly out of my overdraft.

It's hard work, and in many cases everytime i was tempted, i would phisically have to sit on my hands to stop myself logging on to a website and betting.

Good luck mate, take one day at a time. Once you go one day without going on poker, look at it as a great result, and try and get through each day slowly but surely.

staffie1

MrLeeLee wrote: »

I have since stopped all my betting and i am nearly out of my overdraft.

Are you nearly out of your O/D because you stopped betting or because you won enough to pay it off?

MrLeeLee

I am nearly out of it because i stopped betting, it's took ages but the £20 a week I was spending on that soon mounts up.

Unfortunately HSBC weren't willing to help at all, and said I had to wait until after the court case.