Debts piling up and I have no income...

jaggernut

Hello all, I'm new here and I need some guidance regarding my dire financial situation.
I'm 21 and was living away from home until January of this year. Midway through January, I returned home from work to find my flat had been cleared out, all of my possessions gone. The landlady had fled the country and the police refused to take up the case as it was a "civil matter".
Because of this, I had to leave my job and come back to live with my parents. I am already in personal debt to the members of my family who helped to finance my move away.
The phone that I had taken was charged at £20 a month and I had 9 months left to pay on it. Because the police refused to take my case, I cannot report the phone as stolen. Because I left my job "voluntarily" I cannot claim jobseekers allowance.
I am (really, really) looking hard for a job, but I have a very limited skill set and suffer from Borderline Personality and Bipolar Disorders.
I am now £88 overdrawn (unplanned) with more money leaving my bank and more charges inevitably coming.
I have absolutely no savings and no family that can help me. It feels like I'm in an impossible position. I'm not asking for a magic wand solution. But surely, there must be something I can do to stem the amount of money that I am haemorrhaging, especially while I have no income.

gazfocus

Just a thought...with your Personality and Bipolar Disorders, you may be entitled to ESA and/or Disability Support Allowance. Would definitely be worth checking.

tallyhoh

Please put in a claim for job seekers/ESA ASAP, under the circumstances you may not be assessed as leaving your job voluntary

harrys_dad

A couple things. Firstly, make sure you tell your provider to block the phone. They can then send you a new sim card and you can put it in a cheap phone and at least have the use for your money. Even if you cannot afford the account at least it will stop someone else using the phone and you being charged for their calls.

Secondly, register for JSA. They might sanction you for a period, but you will get it eventually. You could also appeal against the sanction on the grounds you had to return home because of the burglary.

Thirdly, what do you mean by "the police refused to accept my case"? It is a clear a crime was committed (theft of your belongings), and even if they do not want to investigate they should give you a crime number.

NinjaSavingKat

Hey there.. I too am concerned about the 'police not taking action'. Are you telling us the whole story regarding the house? If so, and the police indeed are not taking this up- a landlady stealing your belongings despite owning the property they were in, still means theft has taken place. You need to give us a bit more info on this because it doesn't make sense! I'd make a very big fuss if I were you.