Housing Benefit isn't enough!!

Jowo_2

Again, well done ladykahn for being mature enough to seek a solution to your budgeting problem rather than digging your head in the sand and getting into debt.

I don't feel that you've been flamed though you've certainly received some rather blunt perspectives from other people who are encouraging you to look at the situation much more broadly.

Like an earlier poster, I'd just like to reiterate a concern around your dependency on the car which is an expense that is largely impossible to pay for on benefits.

Though you quote for insurance and petrol, there's still other big expenses associated with running a car that I haven't seen detailed on your threads, like MOT, tax, repairs and the like.

If you can barely pay your rent, I worry about what will happen if a major repair is required.

lisamummytoarchieplusbump

could you downgrade the engine size of your car, i know a 1.4 is still cheap to insure but have you tried looking for a 1.2 or lower

i know your age is in the high insurance bracket but have a search how much it would be for a 1.2 or lower. have a search for a make on ebay and do a search on insurance sites. then even if its £10 lower a month its still £10 more pound in your pocket.

i passed my test 2 years ago just out of the high risk bracket but my car was a 1.2 p reg vauxhall corsa and that was only £30 a month i have a 1.4 M reg vauxhall astra now and even with 2 years no claims its £40 so still worked out cheaper for me having a 1.2 without no claims

think this maybe a good option for you

lisa

Ddraig

I thought people on benefit got free prescriptions?Am I missing something as to why the op has to pay?

I think the smoking has to go,as it lowers your immune system anyway.So its not a luxury as I would explain luxury.

Plus if the Nhs get their way ,any person smoking would be refused treatment in the distant future,so easier to give up now.

As its a council property if a repair went wrong Jowo,they would pay for it.

I feel sorry for Ladykhan's situation,but try it when you work,own your own home,and you work out you would have extra money on the dole.
And then if anything happens there is no landlord to make repair it.

Jowo_2

Ddraig wrote: »

As its a council property if a repair went wrong Jowo,they would pay for it.

The repair costs I mentioned relate to car, not flat, expenses, though I can see why it wasn't very clear in my post. The OP insists she views the car as essential. If so, it appears that she has little or no contingency if there are maintenance costs for it.

While I am impressed with the OP being proactive about her situation, in general I just can't see how many benefit claimants can run a private car and it is clear that this is a major outlay for her during her struggle to budget.

MrsE_2

BeenieCat wrote: »

I get confused when people come into these threads saying they earn 22k and can't afford a bottle of wine or the luxury of biscuits

If other couples with kids can manage on £12k then i'm sure you can.

If your 22k is a huge mortgage and debts of your own making then it's not really comparable in this situation, is it?

Huge mortgages are not always of peoples own making, in the south its a huge mortgage to get a tiny home.

JaneDoe_2

krisskross wrote: »

the OP is only 19, doubt she is going to get cheap insurance for a year or two yet.

Yep i did realise this and thanks for reminding me :rolleyes:, its still worth shopping around as i mentioned.

TOBRUK

[FONT=&quot]This is going to be a long one. Hi ladykhan, I have read this thread and although you feel you have been targeted and felt picked upon from some replies you have received and made to feel that it is your fault you are in this situation, I hope your not feeling too bad today! :rolleyes:

I am not going to judge you, I actually feel for you and do not believe that you are at fault you are in the situation you find yourself.

From one of your posts you list your payments but am I correct in thinking that you pay all these amounts fortnightly?

ladykhan wrote: »

I cant afford a ppc, its like £102 or more, the £35 is just council tax I have to pay, the rent is £70.20 I have to pay a month. I sat down and worked out everything that needs to be payed and I'm only estimating water as its a water meter and god knows how much that will actually cost when the bill arrives. It goes like this a fortnight because that's when I get payed: so a month this would be:
£20 electric £40
£20 gas £40
£20 water £40
£5 TV £10
£30 Insurance £60
£30 (sometimes more) prescrition £60
£20 petrol (maybe more) £40
£40-£50 shopping (have to eat a special diet) £100
£13 on tabacco £26

Electric and gas together is £80 a month? I pay £63 a month (direct debit) for 2 bedroom house so this does seem high for you. I would phone them up, take readings and give them over the phone for them to work out if your payments are correct. Also if you can arrange a direct debit (monthly) for these.

£40 a month for water? I'm on a meter and I pay £19 a month - I am virtually housebound and so I use quite a bit of water, although I do realise that different authorities charge differently. With your condition you may be able to get it a bit cheaper - worth giving them a ring about this as well as giving them a reading over the phone as they will be able to work out from that a monthly payment. I pay all my utilities by monthly direct debit (they have to be paid) so I don't get any shocking bills through the post!

For the above utilities you need to wait until you have been there a whole month before you give them a call and reading so they can estimate your payments as you say you moved in on 17th August.

£10 a month for tv - this is for license? It works out at £11.95 a month - I pay this by direct debit.

£60 a month for car insurance - is probably right taking your age into consideration.

Prescriptions £60 a month?[/FONT] I really urge you to get prepaid certificate A.S.A.P. I am lucky as I live in Wales and get free prescriptions, however when this wasn't the case, when I was on Incapacity benefit I had to pay but when they put me on Income support they were free - don't know why this is the case.

I think you should ask your GP (if you have to have special foods for your condition) whether you are allowed to have some of your special dietry food on prescription - I do know that they do this in some surgeries.

£40 petrol is quite high if you only use it for necessary journies - that is depending on how far and how often you have to go for GP, HOSPITAL APPOINTMENTS. You are probably using it to see family, grocery shopping and that is fine - how far do you have to travel for these journies?

I know what you mean about NEEDING the car - I receive DLA, I have an adapted car. I live alone and local shop (and village) is quarter of a mile away and am unable to walk very far, therefore I do need my car. However, without DLA I really wouldn't be able to afford it.

£100 a month on groceries (even if it the whole of your shopping including household goods) is a lot when you are on benefits. I know how hard it is but as I am on benefits I have to look at all my spending and don't spend £20 a week on all shopping, although I realise you have special diet requirements.

£26 a month on tobacco - I am not going to say anything about that.

I'm not sure I am being helpful to you but I would contact your utility companies with your readings and work out a monthly direct debit.

I know this is a big one, but THE CAR, yes I know you need it, but I know myself that without DLA there is no way I could afford it - although I really need it! I am on my own and family are 100 miles away. Despite the car insurance, there is MOT, TAX, TYRES, REPAIRS plus petrol! ETC ETC!

I really do think you need to speak to your doctor about your whole situation, he/she may be able to get you hospital cars to get you to and from hospital appointments - they would stop for you and they are free. There may be other ways they can help. Perhaps refer you to Occupational Therapist who could find ways to help you.

If your family are fairly close you may have to visit by taxi, or they could visit you sometimes. You say you can't be without the car but there are times decisions are really made for you - I am really not being horrible, believe me I do sympathise. When you work out the cost of the car and cost of taxis (although you don't think you can cope with them) it works out a lot cheaper.

You don't mention any other costs i.e. phone (either landline or mobile), birthday cards, presents or any other expenses that crop up - and they do. Sit down and write all your expenditure even if it's 10p - you may surprise yourself on where your money goes - I know I was when I needed to budget hard!

I really am trying to help, and although you may feel helpless and exhausted with it all, I really do hope you can sort things out.

Good luck to you, and I really mean it.;)

sp1987

Great news on your plan to stop smoking, hopefully it will help with your symptoms a little too, plus £26 extra a month will ease a bit of stress! My father had hypnotherapy to stop smoking after 40+ years of daily smoking so this may be worth a go for you if it is offered. He could not quit any other way and had tried everything so gave it a go thinking there was no way it would work. He has not had a cigarette since!

I think there may be courses online for GCSES/A levels in the same way OU operates (maybe someone can confirm?). This may allow you to spend your time doing something to catch up with time you have missed whilst allowing you to keep within running distance of your bathroom I'll bet there are certainly courses on childcare you could do from home which would be beneficial to your future plans!

dave4545454

riabie wrote: »

Well done Ladykhan. I'm not a usual poster on these forums but an avid reader! I had to post though as I cannot get over some of the comments left here. You came here seeking help and was flamed by some for it. I feel that it is felt by a minority that as you are on benefits you are nothing but a scrounger. Even I get mad at the though that my taxes are going to pay for lazy bums and some of my relatives seem to have better life than I (working full time) sat at home claiming. However you are an exception and do have an illness. My ex was a severe crohns sufferer in the end it actually split us up. He had to eat a special diet and public transport was a total no go - literally it is like having the runs constantly. He avoided anything public and had zero social life ( we met through his sister). It is a horrible condition and I guess unless you have had experience of being with someone crohn's you won't know the rippling affect it has on your life and those around you. I presume this is your first time living on your own and it's damn hard budgeting for the first time as I'm sure everyone can agree on. Even now in my late 20's I find it hard. I wish you the best of luck. As a side note ... there are working from home opportunities, lots of scams too keep it to less than 16 hours a week and your benefits might not be affected.

unfortunately it seems to happen a lot here, people getting flamed and judged i too know someone with crohn's disease and know how debilitating it is.
best wishes to ladykhan

topfisher

I haven't read all the thread so someone might have mentioned it already. Anyway I think crohn's and colitis sufferers can get a discount on water bills if you're using a water meter.

Take care and all the best.