Discharge from BR question

bluesbro28

Hi all, I was made BR in july as I lost my job due to ill health.

I have recieved a letter through the post saying that I am eligable for early discharge soon and along with it a questionaire asking about my income and expenditure. My income and exp has changed since the bankruptcy because of the birth of my son shortly after the BR (i did put a note down on the origional BR paperwork) and they have both rose accordingly ( in fact im less well of now than when the BR was filled due to my eldest starting playschool) . I only get state benefits still as I am still out of work but I have just worried that because of the change of benefit ammounts that I will not be allowed discharge. I did ring the OR office but I was told that due to it being benefits I did not need to write to them to inform them of the new ammounts. Did I hear this right? I am now second guessing myself and worying myself sick. I kind of think that because they have wrote to me about early discharge. I have been honest and they are happy with me but I cant shift the worry from the corner of my brain!!! Will I be ok? Is this a standard letter and questionaire they send? Does this mean that they are going to offer me a early discharge in Jan?

Many thanks guys and gals

Joe

fermi

It's all perfectly standard. Don't worry.

The reason they said before not to bother writing in with the changes would have been because with an income only made up from benefits, an IPA wouldn't have been possible. So no point them doing an I&E review then.

Now they are looking at early discharge, they have to do the I&E review. However the situation is the same. If your income is just from benefits then you won't be asked to pay anything.

So fill in the forms and see what happens with the ED.

bluesbro28

Oh PHEW!!! I really did think that I may have done something wrong!!! How do they decide on ED? Is it pot luck or as I my situation has not changed will they discharge me?

Many thanks

Joe

fermi

If your local office has the time to do the paperwork involved, then it should go ahead if they have sent you that letter and you return the forms.

The problem is that processing EDs is a low priority job, so it might not be done quickly, or sometimes not at all if that office becomes too busy with new BR cases.

That ^^^^ was true years ago, and with cuts & resource issues, it's now markedly worse.

So return the forms, sit tight, and see if ED happens. There are no guarantees.

Best way is to just treat it as a bonus if it does....