expenditure guidelines/SOA for BR - single person on JSA

grumpyoldwoman41

As I have said, I am still waiting for the HB and CTB decision, have not heard back from them yet. I only got a letter from JSA after Christmas about my entilement, took that letter to both HB and CTB offices on the 4th January - this is what they said they were waiting for to make their decision.

I applied for JSA on the 2nd December, got a letter from them after Christmas, slowed everything down.

My SOA above does not include rent or CT, assuming that I may be able to get benefits to cover both in full - and I am still 326 short.

dojoman

If you are going BR your mobile and Sky costs could go in to the BR.
Have you taken advice from one of the debt charities? as I have to agree with what has already been said about your deficit.

grumpyoldwoman41

if it is for attending interviews you'd be turned down as the Jobcentre operate 'travel to interview scheme'

Never heard of this but the way I look for work very often I may be called one evening to go for interview the follwing morning as in my field 99% of jobs are handled by recruitment agencies and the turnover is very quick (IT) so I can not be in a position that I have to go to Jobacentre to collect the money for the fare as I simply will have no time for this before the date/time of any potential interview so I need to have some allowance for this... sigh...

grumpyoldwoman41

Dojoman - would love to get rid of both Sky and mobile, yes I spoke to CCCS briefly when I had to stop my DMP with them from December, I was paying £570 per month towards the DMP but had to stop in now.

I have to call their BR section to discuss the BR though now as I only spoke to DMP advisers...

grumpyoldwoman41

Ok, stripped my SOA of pretty much everything.... to make it "fit" - Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned....................

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 0
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 282
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 282

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 0
Electricity............................. 20
Gas..................................... 30
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 28
Telephone (land line)................... 30
Mobile phone............................ 0
TV Licence.............................. 12
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 12
Groceries etc. ......................... 100
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 15
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Pet meds not covered by insurance....... 0
Pet food................................ 30
Total monthly expenses.................. 277


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 0
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 0



Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 282
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 277
Available for debt repayments........... 5
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount left after debt repayments....... 5

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -0
Net Assets.............................. 0

Created using the SOA calculator at https://www.makesenseofcards.com.
Reproduced on Moneysavingexpert with permission, using Firefox browser.

4$£&*(£$&*(!

Looking much, much better. I would shave £10 off your pet food and £10 off your phone bill and stick it on groceries though, and to be honest I would chop internet access and put this on groceries too. Court is likely to say you can get free internet use in many libraries so would expect you to use this on living.

It would also be a wise idea for the month leading up to bankruptcy you keep your grocery receipts to prove you can live on that small amount each month, if the court doesn't think you can manage they may still not allow you to go bankrupt.

As for the 'TIS' scheme, ask about it when you next go to sign on. You can usually claim fares retrospectively if you keep receipts and proof of your interview (or a contact number to verify the interview is genuine). You can also apply for the reduced rate on Oyster once you've been claiming for over 13 weeks, ask again when you sign.

grumpyoldwoman41

Thanks but - internet in the library may be free but it would cost me more to get to library than it costs me to have internet at home - false economy, never mind being able to spot job adverts as they come up and respond to emails as they come in.. so false economy I am afraid.

And as you say, refunds for tickets based on receipts so still - have to have the money up front to pay for those tickets...

Sigh... hope to find another job soon as I do not think I could ever understand and agree with the JSA system.. after having been working for the past 15 years or so....

Thanks for posting

grumpyoldwoman41

OK- what I do not understad though, if the court may not allow me to go bancrupt - what other optiosn are there?

If I can nmot pay my creditors and can not go BR?

What is left?

HappyMJ

grumpyoldwoman41 wrote: »

OK- what I do not understad though, if the court may not allow me to go bancrupt - what other optiosn are there?

If I can nmot pay my creditors and can not go BR?

What is left?

Basically to wait until you got a job. Unemployment generally is temporary so your creditors will wait until you got a full time job then evaluate where you are and if you are able to pay anything towards your debts based on that new income.

4$£&*(£$&*(!

I don't think you will be refused bankruptcy based on your revised SOA at all, it is very rare for courts to refuse bankruptcy. On your original SOA though it wouldn't have been unreasonable for them to refuse you bankruptcy as having too little money to live on could mean all sorts of things that I don't want you to worry about. (Edit - and has just been posted, you could have been told to wait until you got a job).

From your revised statement I don't think there will be any issues. You must get some last financial advice on this though from a debt charity or professional so they confirm everything looks fine, the court will want to know you have sought professional advice before applying for bankruptcy. If they are not satisfied you have done this step this is another reason they can refuse bankruptcy.

(The third reason you could be refused, if you are interested, is if the court considers you to have enough assets to cover your debts).