Help with existing IVA (Annual Review)

scameron86

Hi First of all Thankyou for taking the time to read this post.
I am writing for advice on our Annual Review with our IVA which is coming up to it's first year. The thing is we moved half way through last year, due to having another baby, (my family consists of myself, hubby, and 3 children oldest being 6) We are in council property and where advised when we got this house by the council that due to my husbands low income we should get help towards the rent and council tax payments. In short we applied and where infact eligible, meanwhile i didn't send anything through to my advisor advising them of our change. Whilst we still pay a small amount monthly towards these, alot of it is covered by benefits.
You may think bad of me but my husband gets £750 4 weekly.
The only other money we get are family allowance and tax credits, you would think because we now get help i would have extra money but the truth is we don't, By the time we pay out for bills and shop each week, pay transport for work etc, we rarely have anything left at all, its getting me down that we can never seem to do anything with the kids, like take them out for the day for a special treat, we never socialize anymore as when friends invite us, i always have to explain we can't afford it, christmas was a struggle.
I suppose that i am frightened to fill in the I&E and send it back incase they do indeed increase my payments and then we will be even worse off than we are now

If anyone is willing to go through my I&E with me to see where i could make any ammendments to help make up with this change i would be greatful, when i've tried doing it alone its showing im left with over £400 to pay into my IVA...when i really never have that..(i do pay £249 now) but no way could i afford an extra £150...
When i entered the agreement it was all on estimates for shopping and clothes etc because i was pregnant. Every things increasing in price now and im wondering if i can adjust them to show this. An example being i literally sepnd £140 a week just on a tesco food shop for the 5 of us... I dont think i had it anywhere near this when i first started and that doesnt include popping to the local shop for the fresh bits as we run out during the week.......

Im greatful for any help and advise... maybe i'll be able to sleep a little better tonight after a chat with someone

FoggyBrain_2

Hi. As regards to the expenditure that creditors accept pop over to the beatmydebt website where they have a living expenses guide you can download. Not only does it outline what sort of things you could be claiming, it gives the guideline figures. If in any category you spen over the guidelines, as ling as it's for a good reason and can be backed up by receipts etc, your IP should take this into consideration.

With no property to protect you might consider going bankrupt, which is not as bad as it sounds, as long as your husband's job won't be affected. You might like to discuss this with your IP. In BR your disposable income will be assessed in a similar manner to IVA and you are likely to get a Payments Order, which lasts for three years (so you will still be shaving a year off the payment period).

Best of luck.