Single mum, approx 15K debts, renting, scotland

nikkiandmidgets

I am a single mum of a 3 and 4 year old and stay in a low employment area. Am not divorced yet but have asked my husband to pass me his lawyers info but he hasnt done so - he is in Asia. As my kids are in nursery now and have got my head together after split - took me a long time and lot of mental games from hubby - I am now hoping to look for a job and return to work.

My problem is I have approx 15k of debt - I have been burying my head in the sand and ignoring msgs left on my ansaphone and letters from various DCA's.....am now getting my head back together and from a look round web there seems to be 2 main options in Scotland - trust deed and bankruptcy. I am worried that if i return to work I will end up worse off with paying debtors and childcare and transportation costs if I try to find a job that pays more than minimum wage (pretty much all that is going in this area!)...can I be considered for a Trust Deed if i am on Child tax Credits? Any other options?

I also want to divorce and I guess if I am working at any point during the divorce process that this will also take all my spare funds from working to cover solicitors fees as I guess legal aid will cover remainder once every spare penny I have is used up? Do they also count maintenance payments as I know my husband will not be happy if the money he sends for the kids either goes on a divorce lawyer or my debts (even though split is his fault)- that is of course if i can get him to get himself a divorce lawyer in Scotland!

I know the debts are at end of the day my fault, i am after all an adult, even if life didnt turn out how I forsaw when I got married and had kids. I would like to repay my creditors, but also i want to give my kids a better life and had hoped any money I may get from the divorce could help towards getting me a driving license and maybe a cheap car so I can have a wider range of work options, and be able to make friends and see my family more, and take the kids to parks and stuff that arent so easy to get to with public transport and kids bladders! Oh yeah and to buy more groceries than I can carry up the road in one go!

Anyway what best order for me to do everything - do I keep pushing my husband to get a divorce lawyer, or do I start ball rolling on sorting out my money probs first? Can unemployed people get Trust Deeds?

Any answers to any of the above is appreciated...I am ready to start moving my life forward now but my head is still a little goosed from the split so not as good at trawling through information to find out what I need, and kids nursery is only 2.5 hours so not enough time for me to get to local CAB and back with bus times....

I already pay Tax Credits £20 a month to pay bank an overpayment, and orange £5 a week via a doorstep collector cos I had to cancel my contract as could no longer pay it when I stopped work and they wouldnt let me suspend or reduce monthly payments.

Thanks for any advice

zantelover

Hi, I too am a single parent in Scotland and went banlrupt thru L.I.L.A
My advice to you would be to go bankrupt, without a doubt, you will be in a much better position emotionally etc to deal with your kids and divorce.
If you read my posts you will see how much of a difference it has made to my life.
Good Luck.

coolcait

Hiya Nikki

Your best bet really is to speak to the likes of CAB or your local authority money adviser - they know the Scottish system, and will have experience of many people in your situation.

You mention Trust Deed or bankruptcy. Another option available in Scotland is the Debt Arrangement Scheme, which works like a debt management plan, but gives you legal protection from court action by your creditors. But you really need to sit down with an adviser and go through your finances and the options before you decide what's the right thing for you to do in your circumstances.