In need of advice

Reidy1982

Hi there
I am looking for some advice and i thought this forum would be the best place to find it. I'm not sure if i am even posting in the right section so i appoligise if i am not.

I have recently gotten myself into financial difficulty and i really don't know where to turn and its really starting to upset me and make me ill. Until most recently i had a pretty steady income but sadly my father passed away not too long ago and i lost part of my income (I was his carer). I have 12 credits mostly of them are all just small amounts, but three are very big in the form of catalogues. Since my father passed away i have had additional expenses and with losing the additional income its made things much harder for me to deal with my creditors. I have now started to get behind on everything. I have tried calling all the companies to explain the situation and be put on lower paying plans and i had a little luck with some but there larger ones such as catalogues are all looking for a lot larger payments which i cant afford to pay because if i do then me and my partner would struggle to live and pay gas and electricty and i told them i could not do that as i would need to pay for the essential living (Ie gas and electricty and food). One of the calls the women was so rude to me and said well just dont eat then and you can pay yours bills. I was caught of guard and shocked at that comment because she was deadly serious when she said it. I informed her i was giving them a call to inform them of situation, i wasnt trying to avoid fact i owed them money i just wanted to try and have reduced payment i even told her i had reduced my shopping and was even buying the cheapest of the cheapest shop brands at pennies to try and save money towards my debts and she gave me more attitude. I tried calling them again on different occasions only to be told the same and now i am at my witts end not sure what road to take. My friend suggested a few things to me like a dmp, das i think it was and iva. I looked up some info for these but i honestly don't know which ones is right so i followed a few links here this morning and done a remedy solution on cccs which said either dmp or das. Even with reading all the info i was confused to it all and dont know where to start.
Can anyone help me please.

vasseur

Didn't want to read and run but you have done well by posting here.

Best thing to do would be to post a Statement of Affairs (link at top of page) make sure you include APRs, minimum payments etc and there will be people along to advise you best on your money.

Things will feel much better when you've got it all down on paper and can clearly see the exact situation, even if it looks bad to start with.

Tixy

Hi and welcome

As said above a good starting point it the statement of affairs - a lot of which is the same info as the debt remedy tool you use. If you can complete that and choose the format for MSE option and paste into this thread then you and the rest of us can see your situation in more detail and see what option might suit you and whether we can offer any other tips etc.
Calculator here http://www.makesenseofcards.com/soacalc.html

Reidy1982

Ok thank you will go and do that now.

Reidy1982

Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet

Household Information
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 712
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 712

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 20
Electricity............................. 50
Gas..................................... 38
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 0
Telephone (land line)................... 54
Mobile phone............................ 10
TV Licence.............................. 24.25
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 100
Clothing................................ 20
Petrol/diesel........................... 40
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................. 6
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
Total monthly expenses.................. 362.25


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 1

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
catalogue 1....................3139......159.......0
catalogue 2....................3475......88........0
catalogue 3....................2276......101.......0
txtloan........................349.......50........0
wonga..........................426.......60.12.....0
capital one ...................250.......8.........0
aqua...........................350.......12........0
vanquis........................1250......68........0
provident 2....................442.......42........0
provident 1....................506.......56........0
morses club 2..................784.......84........0
morses club 1..................95........20........0
Total unsecured debts..........13342.....748.12....-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 712
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 362.25
Available for debt repayments........... 349.75
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 748.12
Amount short for making debt repayments. -398.37

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 1
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -13,342
Net Assets.............................. -13,341

Here is a work out of my finacial affairs. Would like to say though i have one car which is a mobility one and it is needed due to my ill health and various hospital appointments and doctors appointments so that is one thing i cant change as i still have 2 years lease on that and it is a essential even though i dont spend more than 40 pounds in petrol a month on it for only basic trip such as shopping and doctors. Also you may wonder why there no stated income for my partner at the moment we are in process of him waiting for an award of his own as he has ill health too but when hes tried in the past we always got told he wasn't entitle to money as we were set as a couple claim and law says we would have more to live on than required and it was a case that whatever they gave him would be removed from my own money so we wouldnt be better off. (That was citizens advice that told us that).

Tixy

Hi, well done for posting that up.

The most obvious thing is that this seems to show that not only you can afford your minimum repayments but also an extra £300 on top, which obviously isn't the case - I think maybe you have included your income twice - do you just get £712 a month and its all benefits?

Reidy1982 wrote: »

Household Information[/b]
Number of adults in household........... 2
Number of children in household......... 0
Number of cars owned.................... 1

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 712
Partners monthly income after tax....... 0
Benefits................................ 712
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1424is this wrong?

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 0 is this paid for you from benefits? if so is it paid direct not as part of the £712? or do you own a house with no mortgage?
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 20 is this the amount after ctax benefit?
Electricity............................. 50 this looks quite high - do you have arrears for this? have you looked to see if you could find a cheaper supplier? or tried to reduce usage?
Gas..................................... 38 again have you tried shopping around to see if you are on the best deal
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 0
Telephone (land line)................... 54 looks very high - what does this include? do you make a lot of calls? have you tried researching a cheaper package?
Mobile phone............................ 10
TV Licence.............................. 24.25 how long have you been paying monthly (how soon until it drops down to £13 a month)?
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 100 is this really all you spend here for the 2 of you? great if it is but check you haven;t underestimated
Clothing................................ 20
Petrol/diesel........................... 40
Road tax................................ 0 do you pay this? if so you need to budget for it (1/12 of the annual cost)
Car Insurance........................... 0 you need to budget for this
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0 and probably something here depending on what you have to pay for - eg tyres? servicing?
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 0
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 6
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0 do you not have this?
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0 need to work out what you spend and budget for this
Haircuts................................ 0 do you need something here?
Entertainment........................... 0 and probably a little something here?
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0
Total monthly expenses.................. 362.25


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 1
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 1

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
catalogue 1....................3139......159.......0
catalogue 2....................3475......88........0
catalogue 3....................2276......101.......0
txtloan........................349.......50........0
wonga..........................426.......60.12.....0
capital one ...................250.......8.........0
aqua...........................350.......12........0
vanquis........................1250......68........0
provident 2....................442.......42........0
provident 1....................506.......56........0
morses club 2..................784.......84........0
morses club 1..................95........20........0
Total unsecured debts..........13342.....748.12....-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,424
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 362.25
Available for debt repayments........... 1,061.75
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 748.12
Amount left after debt repayments....... 313.63

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 1
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -13,342
Net Assets.............................. -13,341

Reidy1982

I made a mistake on first one i somehow put my income in twice making it look like i had more. I only recieve 712 nothing else. So i redid it and edited the first one with correct info.

Also in answer to your questions

My rent and council tax is paid through benefit help and thats why i only pay the 20 a month to council tax.

My electrcity work out at 150 over 3 months and thats me on what they call a tarrif for someone whos on benefits and has illness.

Gas - I previously had a little arrears which i caught up on and i actually went from 60 pounds a month down to 38 and have been steadily paying that for a while. Because of my previous arrears they wouldnt let me out of my contract again i was put on a tariff for someone whos ill and on low income and thats all they would offer me as monthly payment.

Telephone is virgin and that includes my internet but i will admit my phone bill really only works out at about 10 pound the rest of bill is all there service charges as im ill i dont get out a lot so internet is my lifeline and thats on the lowest plan they have.

my tv licence used to be paid by direct debit but few months ago i had problem with my bank so i changed to card and have been paying it by card for 3 months now so i have another 3 months before it drops to 12.12

Groceries - To be truthfull im only paying out about 25 pounds on basic shopping in a month and i have even reduced to named shopping brands like tesco value stuff as i was trying to keep track on everything.There is some months where i avoid the major supermarkets and shop at our local freezer store and just buy about 40 pound of froozen stuff to do us a few week and then cleaning essentials and tolietries i was scared to go over.

Roadtax - is included in with my mobility car so what they take from my dla for the lease of car is all included so i dont pay it seperate

Car Insurance and maintance - Again that is all included in the mobility plan for the car unless i have an accident and thats when i pay out excess and so on.

Content insurance - I have none i know stupid but couldnt afford it

presents- i used to buy all this from my catalogues thats why they are so high by time intrest was added again. Stupid i know but with me not getting out so much was easier.

Haircuts - havent had one for a while and i was told to cut out non essential stuff to reduce my out goings.
entertainment - we rarley go out because of my illness so apart from freeview box no going to pictures or anything.

robsmum_2

Hi Reidy: Welcome aboard and well done on posting. Loads of help and advice will be winging it's way soon. Sorry for the loss of your Father.

Having had a look at your S.O.A my first thought was regarding your income. If you and your partner are both in poor health I am sure you must be entitlled to more benefit help. Check directgov.org and go onto the benfits/money section. Complete the links for benefit assessment etc. That would be your first port of call to make sure you are getting everything you are entitled to.

Second step; Contact CCCS and get them on board. Once you have set up with them they will deal with your creditors. Removing the stress from you. Also your creditors will listen more to them than you.

Third: Make an appointment with your doctor and just tell him the situation. Support is there.

Remember, you are unwell and grieving and take care of yourself. None of your creditors have the right to bully you ever. Big hugs to you.

nannyplum_3

have you checked to see if you are entitled to tax credits? It seems almost every body is these days. A bit of extra money could help alot!

Reidy1982

Thank you so much robsmum
Its never ending at all and trying to grieve and deal with this is really making me ill.

My partner has been ill for a good few years now and couldnt hold down a job because of the illness. So he went onto job seekers at the time and was living with his brother. When i got this house they took him off job seekers and said they would apply his money to mine and change me from one benefit to another. They bamboozled us with all the legal jardon how goverment will only allow us to have enough to live on. We didnt argue as we believed they had to be right then about a year ago we got called in for a meeting with our local dwp office and they couldnt understand why my partner was not allowed to claim for anything at all, this would affect him in future when it came to national insurance credits and future pension when he came of age. All the man said was he maybe entitle to somthing but he wasn't sure what. We saw someone at citizen advice and they said he maybe entitle to somthing got us to fill out forms but we got letter back saying no he wasn't when we went back to citizens advice he said that was wrong and to fight the decision. Its been long arguement on that front really and no-one could give us a straight.

Ive was on cccs website yesterday and remedy they suggest are DAS AND DMP but i was still confused by whole process of all that information by time i had read it all and didnt know which one would be better and got bit upset and frustrated i had got myself into such a mess. So i'll need to reread it all again as i just don't know which one for me would be better.

My doctor is aware of the situation, after my father passed away i took things very badly and had to be giving some pills to try and help me cope and sleep and he wants to see me to see him on a regular basis every few weeks to see how im progressing.

Reidy1982

Thanks for the suggestion but I just checked qualifying section on tax credits website after your suggestion nannyplum and followed the form and it says no we are not intitle to tax credits as no-one in household is working and we have no children.