B uggered

SimIsOnTheUp

Having contacted CCCS, they suggested that the best way forward is a Debt Relief Order.

That was a month ago.

Now, looking at my figures, I don't even have enough money coming in to cover my bills, let alone my debts.

At least I'm calm and sober

Any advice would be most appreciated.

Will have to do something within the next 2 - 3 weeks (prob a DRO), as I'm only just under the £15,000 threshold (£14,696.79) -

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 1
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 0

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 0
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 261.8
Other income............................ 317.92
Total monthly income.................... 579.72

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 317.92
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 0
Electricity............................. 60
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 31.4
Telephone (land line)................... 13.49
Mobile phone............................ 35
TV Licence.............................. 24.25
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 200
Clothing................................ 10
Petrol/diesel........................... 0
Road tax................................ 0
Car Insurance........................... 0
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 15
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0
Haircuts................................ 4
Entertainment........................... 10
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 721.06


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

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
Rent...........................410.58....0.........0
Council Tax....................459.31....0.........0
NPower - Electric..............905.59....0.........0
Arvato.........................924.......0.........0
Cabot..........................112.......0.........0
Capquest.......................689.......0.........0
Graham White & Co..............359.......0.........0
Lowell.........................537.......0.........0
Lowell.........................533.......0.........0
Moorcroft......................589.......0.........0
Nelson, Guest & Ptnrs..........1056......0.........0
Scotcall.......................481.......0.........0
Santander......................1700......0.........0
Ex - Partner...................2053......0.........0
DWP Social Fund................950.......0.........0
Housing Benefit O/Pay..........2320......0.........0
ESA Overpayment................430.88....0.........0
Severn Trent Water.............187.43....0.........0
Total unsecured debts..........14696.79..0.........-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 579.72
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 721.06
Available for debt repayments........... -141.34
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 0
Amount short for making debt repayments. -141.34

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 0
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -14,696.79
Net Assets.............................. -14,696.79

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

Tixy

Hi Sim

Are you getting all the benefits you are entitled to?

£200 for groceries for an individual is higher than the allowance they would budget for on a DRO, can you try bringing this down to £100-£120 a month.
Could you switch to a water meter? would your landlord allow it? that should save £15 a month or so.
How soon does your tv licence drop in half?
Anyway you can reduce your mobile phone costs? find a cheaper package? ask if they will let you drop a tariff.
Have you checked your elec is with the cheapest supplier etc?
Can you shop around for contents insurance at next renewal date? should be able to get this a little cheaper.

I think I'm right in saying that if you cannot show you can meet your ongoing costs then a DRO might not be granted. Might be worth going back to CCCS for advice or possibly posting on the large DRO thread on the bankruptcy board.

SimIsOnTheUp

Tixy wrote: »

Hi Sim

Are you getting all the benefits you are entitled to?

£200 for groceries for an individual is higher than the allowance they would budget for on a DRO, can you try bringing this down to £100-£120 a month.
Could you switch to a water meter? would your landlord allow it? that should save £15 a month or so.
How soon does your tv licence drop in half?
Anyway you can reduce your mobile phone costs? find a cheaper package? ask if they will let you drop a tariff.
Have you checked your elec is with the cheapest supplier etc?
Can you shop around for contents insurance at next renewal date? should be able to get this a little cheaper.

I think I'm right in saying that if you cannot show you can meet your ongoing costs then a DRO might not be granted. Might be worth going back to CCCS for advice or possibly posting on the large DRO thread on the bankruptcy board.

Hiya,

Re benefits, yes. Due to having to leave work in January, I'm back on 'assessment rate' (the lowest rate) of ESA.

Full Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit is being paid, although the Council deduct £5.00 per week from the Housing Benefit, before paying my Housing Association. So, I will have to pay the £5 shortfall from the ESA.

Re groceries, you're right. I haven't been spending that much. This was just an estimated figure. I will bring this down.

Re Water Meter; I don't know. At the moment, Severn Trent are taking out £4.55 per week for the current usage, and £3.30 per week for the arrears (again, directly from the ESA). So, probably can't lower this. Will call them and try though.

Re TV Licence, this won't drop in half for another 5 months!

Re mobile phone; Stupidly took out a contract with T-Mobile. Probably can't get this lowered for 6 months. Will ask them though.

Re Electric, this £60 per month figure is estimated. I'm with NPower. They are at the stage where they were about to apply to the Court for a 'Warrant of Entry' to force a prepayment in.

I contacted 'Consumer Focus' and they kindly spoke to NPower on my behalf.

Electric account was then put on hold for 3 weeks.

Just had a letter on Monday, telling me "the hold on the account has been released, and that normal follow up action will now continue".

So, I called Consumer Focus again. They told me to speak to the DWP, which I then did.

DWP spoke to NPower, and I have to call them myself today with an up - to date meter reading.

Npower will then give me a figure for the 'Fuel Direct' scheme, whereby they deduct an amount each fortnight from the ESA (to cover the arrears and current usage).

So, to answer your question, as to whether or not I can change to a different, cheaper Elec supplier, I don't know. I doubt it, while I owe over £900 to NPower :-/

I'm already down to about £50 per week after the Water and ESA Overpayment has been deducted, so Lord knows how I'm going to afford the Electric and eat.. that's aside from all my other debts.

My ex - partner has emailed me asking when I can afford to pay her, the £2K back. I do want to pay her back, but I just can't afford to yet.

Re Contents Insurance, again, this is an estimated / projected figure I was allowing in my budget. I don't yet have Contents Insurance at all.

I appreciate what you're saying about how I need to meet my current costs / bills before a DRO can be granted.

Am in need of getting back to work, in terms of both improving my mental health and to bring the money in.

Have been advised by the DWP that I am allowed to do 'Permitted Work' and still keep the ESA for a year.

Have found some work I can do at home, part time, so I'm going to start this next week.

Once this is underway, my income should be healthier, and so I should then be able to balance the figures on my budget.

Very stressed, but determined to steadily improve things over the next couple of weeks.

Will post on the DRO board.

Thanks.

Tixy

Hi

I guess if some of your water is paying arrears then post a DRO it would be lower as it would only be current usage?
Assuming you did go for a DRO and would be on an elec prepayment meter eventually then £60 is probably a reasonable estimate (i'm not sure how it works with switching suppliers but it sounds like that won't be an option for a while at least).

Good luck with the part time work and hope this makes things more manageable for you.

SimIsOnTheUp

Tixy wrote: »

Hi

I guess if some of your water is paying arrears then post a DRO it would be lower as it would only be current usage?
Assuming you did go for a DRO and would be on an elec prepayment meter eventually then £60 is probably a reasonable estimate (i'm not sure how it works with switching suppliers but it sounds like that won't be an option for a while at least).

Good luck with the part time work and hope this makes things more manageable for you.

Good point re Water.

Re Elec; I'm about to call NPower with the meter reading. They'll then hopefully be able to give me a figure for 'Fuel Direct', as to how much they take off.

Do they force fit a prepay meter if one goes for a DRO do you know?

Thanks.