in desperate help please,well at rock bottom :(

whitej90

Hi all

i wont go on too much i will just tell you about the main issue i need help with

i have been in financial difficulty for a long time now , when my partner lost his job last year it started,he has gone self employed but never actually managed to take a wage from his business yet,it just ticks over, this is also so he can look after our child,as he can work from home a lot aswell

anyway as he earnt over the threshold in 2011 we do/did not qualify for any kind of benifits just the standard £80 a month we also got knocked back even when we said this was last years earnings he erns nothing now!

so we got in a mess,maxed out a credit card,over draft (witch the bank then withdrew)

so our credit rating has well and truly been shot to bits now,a shame as it was "very good" for both of us previous to this

we have got in a mess with PAYDAY LOANS (i know i know)

anyway we are on arrangements with WONGA and QUICK QUID

last month the car broke down, we had 0 money to pay for a repair witch a friend has kindly done for us we just had to buy the parts,

anyway we took another loan out from MINI CREDIT

we only actually ended up with £80 after there processing fees etc!!

anyway we couldnt pay on time, and tryed to sort something out they were less than helpful!

anyway i got paid last week! we rely on this wage to pay the rent etc! (we are also now in arrears to council tax of 2 months)

MINI CREDIT have now emptied what was our money for the month from my account £328 is there anyway i can get this back! i would be happy to come to an arragnement with them but we just cant afford to loose that money! we have our first payment due to the council tax on friday otherwise we will be in court for it!

we have literally now! a jar of coppers for the month! and no fuel in my car to get to work, i work 25 miles away its 4 buses before anyone suggests walking or getting bus it would cost just as much as the fuel would

we are really screwed! i could just cry! my partner didnt sleep a wink last night trying to think of what we can do,i am also really worried this could be the end of us with the arguing, we are already on a rocky road

there isnt any family we can ask,my parents have already helped us out a lot! his parents arnt really aprochable when it comes to money!...

i have spoke to the bank who said i may be able to get the money back if i say it was an unautherised transaction,witch it was! but i suppose if i have given them my bank details for repayment (well debit card) then it cant be can it?

i really should have chased there up more to arrange an agreement,but just have not had the time! most places are shut by the time i get home and we have given baby her tea and bath etc!

im not one for doing personal things at work,i may aswell tell local radio the way gossip spreads!

thanks for any help

a very stressed whitej90!

carslet

surely you will qualify for some sort of benefits if he earns nothing now,

it must be really hard being in this position, i would put up a SOA so people on here could help you, sort out your finances.

i am sure you will get help you need

whitej90

yep really not good

yes i will be posting something proper up soon i have been a lurker if you like for about 12 months now apparently not,becuase we are above the threshold they currently asses you off,in april 2013 we should then start to get child tax credits?

,just really need help with this immediate situation for now

thanks for your reply

fallen121

I am no expert and people far better qualified than me will be along soon I am sure to give good advice.

But I think the very first thing you need to do is get along to a Bank (not one you already use) and open a new basic bank account separate from the one you already have. And then ask your employer to pay your wages into that. This is the only way to prevent the PDL companies from emptying your account again in future (you say you have more than one PDL). And never EVER give the details of the new account to any other lender. Presumably if you have a kid you also get child benefit and you need to get that and any other benefits switched into the new account as well. This can be done by phone. The new account needs to be in your name only, child benefit can't go into a joint account.

My husband is self employed also, I understand your pain as some months there is no money. Do you have anything your partner could maybe sell on eBay to tide you over? Even stuff like CDs or anything in the attic/garage/junk room or stuff people gave you for your daughter which you no longer want/use. Clothes you no longer wear. Really awful clothes or stuff your daughter has outgrown can be taken to one of the "pay by weight" places.

Do you have any holidays due at work, maybe you could take a day off to sort things out financially and would maybe make you feel better? Also you would have some time to call any friends/family that could maybe help, prepare an SOA, visit or phone CAB or Debt Advisors etc - all stuff you cannot realistically do at work.

I understand your parents may not be keen to help you out if they have already given you money but maybe you could explain how desperate things are and see if they could give you a pre-paid card for the supermarket so you could at least get food for your kid.

Realistically I think the chances of ever getting any money back from the PDL company are zero and the time would be better spent seeking professional (free) debt advice. Just make sure that anything you do earn/receive in the way of wages or benefits in the future goes into a different account.

That is all the advice I have. I have been there with the sleepless nights etc. so I feel your pain. But coming on here for advice was probably the best thing you ever did and things will get better I'm sure.

RAS

I think you can ask DWP to re-assess your situation re WTC and CTC if you have had a major drop in income.

Jo1507

Depending on who you bank with you should be able to get the money back straight away if you log it as an unauthorised payment, the bank will then chase the lender to reclaim the money from them. Even though you gave them your bank details that doesn't give them the right to take any amount they like at any time

charlotte4940

I would deffinatley give HMRC a call about WTC and CTC!! if he is not earning you should be entitled to something. have a look on the HMRC website and use the calculator. Are you not entitled to housing benefit or council tax benefit? As he is not earning it could be a possibility. Local councils should also have a calculator on their website.

Even though it is upsetting i would speak to both your parents and tell them the mess you are in. If they have a heart they will help you out, even if it means going to their for meals etc. If they see it could effect your child they should be there to help.

whitej90

Hi thanks for the reply's,sorry i have not given and responses sooner,i am logging on when the offices is quiet

RE sorting the finances, yes we are i am actually booked off this friday, we have already prepaid some letters to send out offering token payments,but we are going to contact CCCS also,or step change its now called im told?

also with the WTC and other benefits,yes we did try and make a claim when he first came out of work, but again was told that because they work off last years income,it would be at least april 13 before we could then be re assessed and elegable to something if circumstances have not changed by then,witch the way things are i cant see they will do!

if we claimed HB it would mean moving as out LL would not take any dss payments etc,he possibly would if we spoke to him,we have had 2 houses of his now and always paid on time and looked after each one! witch we may have to anyway if it comes toit but would really rather not, this is the first place we have lived and instantly got on with the nabours and not had this "looking down on us because its rented" house and the landlord refurbished it to our spec,witch a view to us buying it when we had saved a deposit (that money is now long gone anyway) however we are also tied in untill NOV 2013 but we will have to look at it nearer the time and if needs must

my parents we do already owe some money to,even though they tell me "not to worry" about it i know we need to start paying them back, my mother has recently had a heart attack so i really dont want to worry her in any way shape or form

my partners parents,live over 200 miles away,they are actually due a visit this coming weekend,so we may have to have that heart to heart with them,then as i cant afford either to be going out buying nibbles or stuff to cook a meal while they are here!

RAS

The LL has no reason to know that you are on Local Housing Allowance.

You will need a copy of your tenancy agreement. Please sort this urgently and council TAX benefit. You can probably do both on-line.

RonniesMummy

whitej90 wrote: »

Hi thanks for the reply's,sorry i have not given and responses sooner,i am logging on when the offices is quiet

RE sorting the finances, yes we are i am actually booked off this friday, we have already prepaid some letters to send out offering token payments,but we are going to contact CCCS also,or step change its now called im told?

also with the WTC and other benefits,yes we did try and make a claim when he first came out of work, but again was told that because they work off last years income,it would be at least april 13 before we could then be re assessed and elegable to something if circumstances have not changed by then,witch the way things are i cant see they will do!

if we claimed HB it would mean moving as out LL would not take any dss payments etc,he possibly would if we spoke to him,we have had 2 houses of his now and always paid on time and looked after each one! witch we may have to anyway if it comes toit but would really rather not, this is the first place we have lived and instantly got on with the nabours and not had this "looking down on us because its rented" house and the landlord refurbished it to our spec,witch a view to us buying it when we had saved a deposit (that money is now long gone anyway) however we are also tied in untill NOV 2013 but we will have to look at it nearer the time and if needs must

my parents we do already owe some money to,even though they tell me "not to worry" about it i know we need to start paying them back, my mother has recently had a heart attack so i really dont want to worry her in any way shape or form

my partners parents,live over 200 miles away,they are actually due a visit this coming weekend,so we may have to have that heart to heart with them,then as i cant afford either to be going out buying nibbles or stuff to cook a meal while they are here!

I may be completely wrong here, but can't you have housing benefit paid direct to you and then you pay your landlord? This way he doesn't need to know (sure a friend did this)

Also on friday phone step change, you will feel loads better after doing this, I also opened a new bank account with halifax just a basic account, online didn't even need to go into the branch - you will need a new bank account in order to stop the pdl's getting your money!

There is a way through this, I promise!

RAS

Housing benefit IS paid direct to the renter not the landlord. has been for years