BENEFIT CAP-Down almost £7000 help!!!

BigAunty

I hope a moderator comes along and locks this thread as everything constructive has been said about how the OP can challenge her council tax bill, increase her income, deal with her debt and decrease her expenses.

It just looks like this thread will descend into a judgemental finger pointing blame game.

I can't think of anymore positive advice that hasn't already been given on this thread and so I wish it could just be closed to avoid the inevitable negative posts.

Nada666

How ridiculous. I thought you were facing a bill of £800 per month not £800 per year. That is trivially affordable. Please be clearer.

What is your total monthly income? What is your total monthly rent and council tax? What is the size of your property? Without such basic information it is difficult not to presume the worst.

The trouble is, with child benefits and credits of more than £20,000 even before housing there should be zero difficulty. Even if your housing benefit is limited to £300 per month there is surely enough from the other £20,000 per year to contribute to the rent.

You say you are in coucil house? Even if you are paying for two council houses I doubt there is any difficulty paying for it. I can't see you having to pay more than one or two hundred pounds on top of the three hundred per month. If the council rent is extortionate then move elsewhere.

Rock_Bottom

BigAunty wrote: »

I hope a moderator comes along and locks this thread as everything constructive has been said about how the OP can challenge her council tax bill, increase her income, deal with her debt and decrease her expenses.

It just looks like this thread will descend into a judgemental finger pointing blame game.

I can't think of anymore positive advice that hasn't already been given on this thread and so I wish it could just be closed to avoid the inevitable negative posts.

Hey, I like reading about other peoples hardships ... it makes me feel better about my own hardships, keep the thread open please.

Thomas_Hardy

This sounds to me like an opportunity for a new start. The OP's council tax is very high, which implies a large property and a high cost area. Given that she has no connections in the current area, why not up sticks and move somewhere more affordable (lower cost area and smaller property)? This would make things more realistic on a longer term basis - it will be easier to find suitable work and be self sufficient in a lower cost area.

And before anyone moans about the cost of moving, it really doesn't have to cost a great deal - man with a van or hire a van yourself.

DannyboyMidlands

Rock_Bottom wrote: »

Hey, I like reading about other peoples hardships ... it makes me feel better about my own hardships, keep the thread open please.

It is pure BS.

Bankruptcy
Loosing rented council house
Can't afford to feed my children
Have them placed with foster family's
Can't afford to phone the CAB helpline
How can we put kids in this poverty?

!!!!!!. £26k per year tax free is plenty.

Rock_Bottom

Thomas_Hardy wrote: »

This sounds to me like an opportunity for a new start. The OP's council tax is very high, which implies a large property and a high cost area. Given that she has no connections in the current area, why not up sticks and move somewhere more affordable (lower cost area and smaller property)? This would make things more realistic on a longer term basis - it will be easier to find suitable work and be self sufficient in a lower cost area.

And before anyone moans about the cost of moving, it really doesn't have to cost a great deal - man with a van or hire a van yourself.

Yep, it reminds me of the complaints some people have in Cyprus ... losing 40% of their savings.

Rock_Bottom

DannyboyMidlands wrote: »

It is pure BS.

Bankruptcy
Loosing rented council house
Can't afford to feed my children
Have them placed with foster family's
Can't afford to phone the CAB helpline
How can we put kids in this poverty?

!!!!!!. £26k per year tax free is plenty.

All that worry is enough to make ya get up before lunchtime.

LunaLady

Rock_Bottom wrote: »

Hey, I like reading about other peoples hardships ... it makes me feel better about my own hardships, keep the thread open please.

What an odd thing to say.

evenasus

DannyboyMidlands wrote: »

It is pure BS.

Bankruptcy
Loosing rented council house
Can't afford to feed my children
Have them placed with foster family's
Can't afford to phone the CAB helpline
How can we put kids in this poverty?

!!!!!!. £26k per year tax free is plenty.

Check the bankruptcy board - A couple who's only income is from benefits think that £500 a month on groceries for two people, is normal.

MissMoneypenny

Thomas_Hardy wrote: »

This sounds to me like an opportunity for a new start. The OP's council tax is very high, which implies a large property and a high cost area. Given that she has no connections in the current area, why not up sticks and move somewhere more affordable (lower cost area and smaller property)? This would make things more realistic on a longer term basis - it will be easier to find suitable work and be self sufficient in a lower cost area.

And before anyone moans about the cost of moving, it really doesn't have to cost a great deal - man with a van or hire a van yourself.

Having looked back on the OPs previous posts, it seems you could be right TH and a new start could be what is needed. The OP has only known the generous welfare system of the last decade, all her adult life. That and easy credit. Both of which are now going.

OP, £500 a week plus free school meals for 5 of your 6 children, is a still a lot of money and you just need to learn things like how to budget and how to cook from scratch. Cooking from scratch does take longer, but you have lots of free time and I assume your youngest child is now getting free nursery places, so plenty of time too to look for bargains when shopping.

Don't forget that when you are moved onto Universal Credit (from all the benefits you claim now) you will have UC conditions imposed on you.