DRO not suitable now after Income support changes

lauren_1

The new changes regard CSA payments and IS means that a DRO will no longer be suitable as the changes will push me over £50 a month surplus but still not enough to pay me creditors. What options do i have now?

I have informed cccs as soon as i got the letter but there is no counsellor available till next friday!!

confused76

you could try the national debtline, you might be able to speak to someone sooner...

lauren_1

I actually got a callback to say someone could speak to me on tuesday

confused76

oh that's good.....let us know how you get on...

debt_doctor

lauren_1 wrote: »

The new changes regard CSA payments and IS means that a DRO will no longer be suitable as the changes will push me over £50 a month surplus but still not enough to pay me creditors. What options do i have now?

I have informed cccs as soon as i got the letter but there is no counsellor available till next friday!!

How do you know that ?

Are you making reasonable allowances for your essential and discretionary expenditure ?

DD

newdawn_2

OP is right new rules means maintenance no longer taken into account I.S and Income based JSA and ESA from 12th April.

lauren_1

Yes unfortunatly I cannot change my SOA with the CCCS as even though i have more money coming in, increasing my utilities to live comfortably for a change(i.e whacking the heating on when were freezing our tooshes off or spending more on treats for the children) would be purposly spending to ensure i fit the criteria.

My SOA was made when we had litterally pennies at the end of the month and had to cut down, there was no option. But it cannot be changed sadly.

debt_doctor

lauren_1 wrote: »

Yes unfortunatly I cannot change my SOA with the CCCS as even though i have more money coming in, increasing my utilities to live comfortably for a change(i.e whacking the heating on when were freezing our tooshes off or spending more on treats for the children) would be purposly spending to ensure i fit the criteria.

My SOA was made when we had litterally pennies at the end of the month and had to cut down, there was no option. But it cannot be changed sadly.

I think that is none sense from CCCS. Your entitled to reasonable living expenses as per the common financial statement. If that is their attitude then I suggest you go to the CAB or elsewhere with a more appropriate financial statement for your DRO.

DD

lauren_1

Thank you debt doctor,

My new SOA goes a little bit like this, due to some price increases the G&E has gone up and also i have raised my grocery bills.

Rent £600 < £507 of this is paid by HB, but for some reason CCCS are putting it as £550 even though i get it calender monthly and not 4 weekly.

Gas £30

Electric £40

Mobile £20-£25 < its a sim only deal, will i be allowed to keep it as its a month by month basis?

Contact lenses £30 a month, i have a complex prescription and refuse to wear my 1 inch thick glasses which also cost me £170 a year (thats with a NHS voucher)

Internet £5.99

Groceries £250, includes everything house related

Car ins £56

Petrol etc etc £100 -£130

car tax £68 for 6 months i think

tv lisc £13ish

water £41

kids school clubs £4 a week (its swimming and cooking club) due to rise in sept when no2 starts school

kids things £40 (clothes, out of school clubs, pocket money, once a month maccy d treat)

hairdressers is nil for my and my DD but £3 a month for the boy (unless i let him grow it)

Hair dye £6 every 4 weeks (i feel like a baglady but i refuse to look like one)

Tobacco £20 a month

BT £23 a month

pet food £5 (scorpion, lives on crickets)

Nursey fees £30 a month, ds gets his NEG but i pay for 2 days lunches a week.

Clothes for me £10 < im shrinking

the chistmas pot £20 a month

the holiday pot £10 a month (we actually have never managed to go on holiday in the passed god knows how long but usually theres some emergency that i need the money for

birthdays, £10 for siblings and partner, £40 for my children, about £10 a month then

so total outgoings are £1386.99

total incomings are

HB £507 A MONTH
CB £132
IS new rate of £65 a week
CTC of £330
CSA £280

new total income is £1509 so i have an excess of around £122 a month, i dont go out, my only treat is my contact lenses and hairdye. I am still job hunting and have been for 6 months now...no luck yet.

So my excess £122 excludes me from a DRO, but only enough to pay 1 creditor, so unless i lose another £70 a month i am looking at bankruptcy

debt_doctor

Hi again,

What is the make up of the family ? How many children and what are their ages ? (I'm a DRO intermediary, by the way!)

If it's two adults and two children you could easily qualify for a DRO.

DD

lauren_1

its one adult and 2 children