Work might cost me my home - can't stop worrying

CustardAndPickles

Well, I guess I should have set up one of the "new" accounts that people do but I don't have the energy

My employer has moved me to a different department where I will lose £90 a month from my salary. This £90 is only paid to people who work in my department due to a particular aspect of our job. So in the new department, my base salary will be the same, but I won't get the £90 because I'm in a different department. I was told Friday night, after everyone had gone home.

I can't afford to lose that much money a month. I will be in the new department a year minimum, realistically longer, but it's still over £1000 and I can't afford to lose it. Realistically losing that amount of money will force me into bankruptcy / IVA etc or even losing my home, I know I live close to the breadline and it's bad but thats where I am.

There is a union at work, and I have spoke to my union rep. He told me that is was my own fault for relying on the £90 as part of my salary as it is classed as "discretionary" rather than "an entitlement". I know he's right but at the same time you can't help relying on it after a while. I wish I didn't have to.

There is a welfare guy where I work. I went to see him today with my partner - my partner and I live together and work for the same employer. My partner says the welfare guy was helpful but I don't remember much because I was basically hysterical with worry. The welfare guy took a detailed financial account from us and says that he will send it to my union who will then see one of the bigwigs where I work to see if they can stop me moving on the grounds that it will financially cripple me.

The welfare guy did not seem very hopeful. The union rep tells me it's my own fault. I have been to the doctors who reluctantly gave me some sleeping tablets and some diazapam but warned me strongly that due to pre-existing medical conditions I should only take them if I really really have to as they could make me very sick. I have taken one of the sleeping tablets - which is what I'm allowed to take - but it's not working.

My partner - who works at the same place - is also off sick with stress. Neither of our immediate supervisors have been in touch with us to check how we are doing which goes to show you the level of care we have from our employer.

In the meantime I am sick with worry all the time since I found out. I am barely eating or drinking and seem to just zone out sometimes, in between the screaming and the crying and the rage that just comes from nowhere.

I don't know what to do any more. My partner says we are in the system for getting it fixed and it is a slow process and we just need to wait. I just feel hopeless. I have tried to go into work twice now just to quit, to make it all stop - I don't have another job to go to or other salary coming in, and my partner says that at least at the moment I'm still being paid so I shouldn't do that.

But I just don't know what to do. Having been through a different procedure at work, I know that they take a very long time. I can't take the worry and uncertainty and I am starting to have worrying thoughts in my head. I am so scared and tired and I don't know what to do any more.

debjay

Nothing practical but it's not worth risking both of your healths for. Maybe bankruptcy will be the best option if nothing can be sorted out.

whitewing

You should try and calm down a little because you are feeling scared and worried and then it is difficult for people to communicate with you to help you. It's not a criticism, just an observation but the panic in your post is shining through. Anxiety can be 'catching'.

You will feel a lot, lot worse if you don't eat and drink. You have a partner who is trying to reassure you. That counts for a lot.

You will get through this change in circumstance. You may sort it out to your satisfaction, you may not, but you will know that you did the best you could at the time.

CustardAndPickles

My understanding is that becoming bankrupt would mean we would lose the house though? We have a mortgage and it's our property - not a shared ownership.

CustardAndPickles

whitewing wrote: »

You should try and calm down a little because you are feeling scared and worried and then it is difficult for people to communicate with you to help you. It's not a criticism, just an observation but the panic in your post is shining through. Anxiety can be 'catching'.

You will feel a lot, lot worse if you don't eat and drink. You have a partner who is trying to reassure you. That counts for a lot.

You will get through this change in circumstance. You may sort it out to your satisfaction, you may not, but you will know that you did the best you could at the time.

I am scared and worried and I don't take your post as a criticism at all. I know people on here have lost their homes through debt and survived, but it is heartbreaking to think that my job - due to a random decision to move me - can just take it away. I have tried so hard to keep our finances liveable - obviously I've not succeeded very well but in a couple of years we'll be £400 a month better off and it'll be better. But of course, this has happened now

mountainofdebt

Is this £90 after or before tax and NI?

I'm only asking as the drop, if its before tax, may not be as severe as you think and the shortfall can be made up elsewhere

Have you posted on the debtfreewannabee board - I'm always amazed how they can magic savings

Richard53

I can't offer any advice with the main issue, but you say that your supervisor hasn't been in touch and that is adding to your stress. Where I work, the head of HR used to phone staff who were ill for more than a few days or who were off with something stress-related, and have a chat about how they were getting on, what their plans were, etc. It was meant well, but a couple of people took the company to a tribunal over employment issues, and cited her behaviour as 'harrassment'. Nowadays, all communication with sick employees is by letter only. A shame, but that's how things are these days.

Your lack of contact from your supervisor may be as simple as that. They are not necessarily ignoring you or uncaring.

ILW

Sell up and buy somewhere you can afford. You are living beyond your means if £90 is that disastrous.

Gigglepig

Please don't despair. The debt free wannabe and old style moneysaving boards might help, try posting a full budget there and people will help see if you can make any changes.

OP are there any other things that are making you and your OH stressed at the moment tht you could get help with? (You don't have to post about it here, but when I read your post it made me wonder if you had other things to struggle with that perhaps made you feel overwhelmed).

It might seem impossible right now, but £ 90 a month (especially if that sum is before tax and Ni) might be doable by cutting down on expenses and/or getting a small additional job for a while, taking a lodger etc etc . Please post a soa on the debt free boards & don't give up just yet.

CustardAndPickles

Mountainofdebt - thank you for the advice about the other board. It is after tax, but maybe someone can see something I've missed.

Richard - that hadn't occurred to me, thank you.

ILW - well, thats the other option isn't it? It is all my fault anyway, as the union rep said. I just wanted to provide a little home for my family. I know I should be able to take a £1000 paycut in a year with two weeks notice and not worry about it, I simply haven't been able to save the money to do it.

mountainofdebt

CustardAndPickles wrote: »

ILW - well, thats the other option isn't it? It is all my fault anyway, as the union rep said. I just wanted to provide a little home for my family. I know I should be able to take a £1000 paycut in a year with two weeks notice and not worry about it, I simply haven't been able to save the money to do it.

tbh I think, unless you're on a fantastic wage to start with everyone would find losing £1000 a year a drop that would be hard to swallow....even more so if you're all ready struggling.

The other thing that you may want to consider (especially with Christmas coming up) is to see if you can get a part-time second job in a pub or somewhere similar.

have you been told why you were selected for the move?