Helping Mother

dutton316

OK, fair warning, this is a long and relatively complicated post, and may well be in the wrong section.

My mother was made bankrupt in March 2010, discharged a year later. She is now a discharged bankrupt. The consequence of the bankruptcy is that she was evicted, ended up staying with friends, then me (son, I was a student at the time, in student housing, graduated last month - as yet unemployed) before I leant her a big chunk of money (which came out of free student overdraft and the like) to put a deposit down on a bungalow. She's still living in this bungalow, as I now am, but she hates it (particularly one neighbour) and would like to move. One issue is the lack of available rental properties she feels are suitable, another is the lack of funds.

She works part time, officially on a twelve hour contract but generally 20-25 hours a week. They won't increase her hours, so she can't earn more. As I understand it she's also caught between level where she could claim for benefits. There are a lack of jobs available she's qualified for, and any that are generally get swamped with applications because their low skilled jobs. The job she has (stock replenishment) is quite ohysically demanding and its doubtful she could carry on with it for long without suffering consequences from it. In her own words 'its killing [her]', and I doubt this is too far from the truth.

She won't ask for help. So I'm trying to do it for her.

Thoughts, opinions and ideas on what to do with the situation as it pertains to housing and employment gratefully received.

PippaGirl_2

Do you have a particular question Dutton?

dutton316

PippaGirl wrote: »

Do you have a particular question Dutton?

Good point, I've edited the opening post. Was mainly looking for help in what to do about the housing, prospective ways of increasing her income/lowering major costs (council tax and the like).

Obviously a difficult thing to do when no-one has all the information (I certainly don't).

Thanks

PippaGirl_2

Housing, my opinion is you get nightmare neighbours everywhere and moving might not improve that and even if initially the new neighbours seemed nice, it takes only one family to move out nearby to be replaced by another to change that status quo. I have nightmare neighbours here, and when I am mentally well it doesn't bother me and I walk on by and don't care what they do or say, when I am low though it seems unbearable. Do you think the problem with the neighbours seems so large because your mother is low in herself? Could she be depressed? I say this as seeking help and support via her GP might help if so.

Employment. Has she thought about a career change. Jobcentres will help and advise people who are currently employed so that they can assess their skills and give ideas of jobs they could do. Also, evening classes or college could open up new careers. I don't know how old your Mum is but she could even consider doing an Access course which could open up University courses if that would be helpful. I would think she is looking for something less physical now, healthwise. So maybe some office skills at college would be helpful.

These are just ideas that you/she have probably thought of already. Neither really are BR related, more that she has reached a point in her life where she doesn't know where to turn. My gut reaction given the little info here is to wonder if she is experiencing some depression and if so her GP might be able to help. Once that is sorted she might then see avenues out of her perceived problems herself, when you are feeling low you can't see any solutions at all.

HTH

Anondebtadvisor

Run her circumstances through http://www.turn2us.org.uk/ to see if there are any benefits or help she may be entilted to