What help are we entitled to? Low income couple

welshmoneylover

I don't think its fair that you are asking for benefit help from tax payers to help repay your loan.

Loan repayments are yours alone.

mrcow

It's not an ideal solution, but is the loan something that you could refinance if the monthly payment is that high?

The main priority is to make sure that you stop getting in any further debt as it's obviously only going to get worse. You need to go through your SOA and look at absolutely everything you're spending.

Your partner seriously needs to get in gear and get the job situation sorted. You can't hold this together on your own. There is work out there, but she's going to have to put the graft in. Temping agencies are always looking for reliable casual staff. She needs to be signing on still and taking all of the help and advice that she can. If she's signing on, can she not claim for travel etc for interviews (even if she's not getting an actual JSA Allowance)?

JC9297

[QUOTE=Everydayman;41343094

As someone who has never claimed any sort of benefit in the past, and always paid tax and national insurance I would like to know if there is any area that the state can help to look after us, in what I hope is a short period of time where we need it.
[/QUOTE]

No because you earn over the amount considered necessary for a childless couple to live off. Any debts you have are irrelevant and the state will not make up the shortfall in your disposable income caused by the repayment of them.

dawn_rose

hiya sorry your having troubles. when i came out of my contract me and my husband were down to one wage of 16000 and werent entitled to anything. id say to apply for any job that your partner can physically do even if its part time coz you need to keep your cv open and anything is better than nothing. i ended up packibng boxes in a factory for one day then was an admin temp in branch within three months i was management so get out there and try something new. i also have no transport ect. if you have a job your more employable if that makes sense. good luck.

kingfisherblue

In my area, there is an organisation called Starting Point, which helps people get into work. They have a base, but they also hold appointments, workshops and job fairs in local libraries and community centres. Maybe your girlfriend could ask at your local library or community centre to see if there is a similar service in your area. This would enable her to improve her CV and interview techniques, apply for jobs not advertised in the job centre, and avoid any fares as she should be able to walk there.

One of the most commonly available jobs at the moment is care work, looking after people in their own homes. My daughter attended a job fair at the community centre (this job fair was held by the local social housing organisation - they do about two or three a year). She was studying with the Open University as she wanted to teach, but not get into student debt or move away from home). She was accepted by an agency, and has been working for them for sixteen months. Pay isn't great (£6.50-£7 an hour), but is considerably more than minimum wage for her age group - she's 19. She has now decided to apply for nursing in a couple of years time, as she enjoys her work so much. In the meantime, she's got a second job with another agency and also works for two families with disabled children (Direct Payments scheme). She is learning to drive and is saving for her future studies.

Maybe care work is something that your girlfriend could consider. It doesn't suit everyone, but it could help in the short term.

chalkie99

Everydayman wrote: »

Myself and my partner are very much so struggling at the moment and wondering what/if there are any benefits we are entitled to.

Everydayman wrote: »

Is housing benefit an option? Or council tax reduction/help?

Everydayman wrote: »

If I did not have a £255 loan a month then this situation would be vastly different

Everydayman wrote: »

I am not asking the government to pay my loan

To the outsider it certainly seems you are!

If everyone could deduct their loans from their wages then half the country would be claiming benefits to fund their repayments and we might as well all go out and borrow and bankrupt the country completely.

Becles

I was in the same position when I was married before we had children. I didn't have enough NI stamps because I'd been on YTS in the calculation period so I wasn't entitled to JSA. My husband's wage wasn't enough to live on.

I just took any temp work I could find until I got a permanent job. I even shovelled horse poo in a stable yard for a week just because it was some money coming in!

dark_lady

No hes not asking the government to pay his previous loan. Why would he need to. As soon as his girlfriend gets a job she will be helping him pay it. to the poster who said "kick her out until she gets a job" Could you be another person expecting a partner to pay off your previous debts? What protection does a girlfriend get in this situation once she gets a job and say, helps you pay off your loan while living with you for a few years and you then split up. I would NOT be moving in with anyone this irresponsible who then puts even MORE pressure on his girlfriend because of his previous debts. Im sure she feels enough pressure to find a job in its own circumstance without having to consider the OPs debts. Cant help but wonder if it had been the female in debt whether she would have been told to kick the OP out until he found a job!!! I bet not!

AimeesMum_2

dark_lady wrote: »

What protection does a girlfriend get in this situation once she gets a job and say, helps you pay off your loan while living with you for a few years and you then split up. I would NOT be moving in with anyone this irresponsible who then puts even MORE pressure on his girlfriend because of his previous debts. Im sure she feels enough pressure to find a job in its own circumstance without having to consider the OPs debts. Cant help but wonder if it had been the female in debt whether she would have been told to kick the OP out until he found a job!!! I bet not!

That's rather unfair. The OP is paying for his girlfriend's rent and bills presently as well as her day to day living expenses. When you enter into a relationship both sides need to play their part in providing - his girlfriend at the moment isn't hence the reason they are struggling.

FBaby

The bottom line, you guys made wrong choices (well mainly you with the loans) and even though you were wrong etc... you have to accept you are now paying the consequences of these mistakes. If there were no consequences, where would be the incentive for not getting into massive debts? Everyone would do it. Accept that life is going to be tough for some time, a lot of work for little fun, but you are both young and still plenty of opportunities to make it up and do well.

As most posters have started, there is only one way out of this: your girlfriend needs to get a job, whatever it is. MacDonalds if needs be, it doesn't matter, she needs to work and contribute. If she hates it, she can lookk at other jobs during her spare time, but in the meantime, she will be bringing money in so you guys can avoid further debts.