Newbie Seeking Advice/Outsiders Opinion!

gillypkk

Hi everyone.

Ill try to keep this sort - im about to file for divorce from my ex. we have 2 kids together.

turns out that while we were married he maxed out 3 credit cards of between £3000 and £1500 and got a £15000 loan to pay off the debts he had acrued. i only found out about the loan whenhe came home waving the bank statement showing the balance.

he never bothered using the money to pay off the debts of course just spend the 15 grand on himself. once this was gone he rand up over £2000 overdraft on the joint account. by this time i was in the mindset of "ignorance is bliss" and i would call him up to check the balance of the aco!!!! before i went food shopping or paid any bills.

he decided to stop paying the bills and wouldnt allow me to pay my bills - next account for clothes, studio cards for xmas presents etc... all small amounts mind (below £150 each and on BNPL which i was planning on having paid off before interest started) so i organsied a DMP for us both.

when i left him he stopped paying this and empitied out the joint bank account each month only giving me £150 to raise both children and myself on. luckily i was able to sort out CSA and benefits fast but this obviously has left me in alot of debt.

he put several things like the gas and leccy in my name when we moved in as he worked away alot being in the army so i was getting chased for payment for a house i lived in all of 14 days (thats another story)

i have spent 2 years fielding letters and visits from debt collectors, my solicitors letters are being ignored and ive had enough.

my ex also claimed that he was still paying all the debts as a settlement in the separation but....well he never could be trusted to keep his word.

i have thought about sequestration as its called in scotland and think this is the only answer for me. i cannot do a trust deed as i have no income other than benefits and CSA.

I wanted to hear from others who have been in a similar situation to me and how their sequestration was handled and the real life consequences.

Ive read the AIB website and spoken at length to my solicitor and know what MAY happen but i wanted to hear from people who have been through it to tell me their experiences.

I also wanted to become a midwife but i think being delcared bankcrupt pretty much rules that out but i stand no chance of ever paying off these debts ive been landed with and providing a future for my children.

Im studying through the OU at the moment too but i cant concentrate on it all while worrying about what will happen once i start work and start paying back the debts most of which i never caused all because i was just stupid enough to listen to my husband.

gillypkk

no one at all on here has gone BR while on benefits in scotland?!

confused76

hi there are a few Scottish posters, hopefully someone will see your post soon
there are some guides by Scottish posters, i will try and dig them out

confused76

some information kindly compiled by doshdolt

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2560009

gillypkk

thank you confused76!

i still have a few questions though - what about the CSA payments i get for my children (2 and 4)? are they included in my income?

and i have a mobile phone contract that i still use and i pay everymonth without problem. do i need to put them down as a creditor even though i keep up with those payments and want to continue to use it?

and my bank account? will that definately be frozen with me having 2 dependant children to feed?

Ineedaname

I can answer the bank account question for you as I think it's the same in Scotland. The only two BR friendly bank accounts are the Barclays Basic and the Co-op Cashminder. They will both let you have a debit card but no cheque book. Barclays do not allow online access until discharge whereas the Co-op DO provide online access.

It's wise to open one of these accounts prior to going BR and get all your income payments, DDs and SOs transferred over.

Any other accounts you have are likely to be frozen once they know you are BR.

gillypkk

im with RBS - if i was to speak to them would they maybe let me keep it open?

i have no debts with them - never had any trouble with them. i opened the account in the midst of all the problems when i left my husband and i only in the last 12 month got my account upgraded from solo to visadebt.

philnicandamy

Nothing to stop you trying..BUT I doubt they'll let you keep the account active soon as they hear the words "bankruptcy"

Tupperware_Queen

I am a nurse, and BR, there is no reason BR can stop you becoming a midwife - and a bit of real life experience will go a long way in that career!

gillypkk

Tupperware_Queen wrote: »

I am a nurse, and BR, there is no reason BR can stop you becoming a midwife - and a bit of real life experience will go a long way in that career!

were you a nurse before becoming BR?

on the application forms it asks if you have even been BR and from the research ive done its ok if you are already qualified and employe but entering training its a no-no?

this just gets all the more complicated!!

wouldnt feel so bad if i had actually spent the money myself but i was stupid enough to put the stuff in my name based on the simple fact it was easier for me to deal with it all when my ex was deployed if it was in my name. :embarasse

suppose you think you can trust your husband eh?

Tupperware_Queen

gillypkk wrote: »

were you a nurse before becoming BR?

on the application forms it asks if you have even been BR and from the research ive done its ok if you are already qualified and employe but entering training its a no-no?

who has told you that? the NMC have very clear guidance (I checked before doing it myself) and they do not see it as a problems as long as its not as a result of fraud.