DRO whilst living with a partner

daz103

I am planning on arranging for a DRO, Something I should have done years ago. I have just moved to Cornwall with my girlfriend and I am currently unemployed.

What I wanted to know is how do I calculate income and expenditure based on this situation? All of the debts are mine and nothing to do with my girlfriend at all. She is earning £25K a year.

Now when calculating income, do I have to take her whole wage into account (she has her own debts to pay), or do I work it out separately sharing the costs of living?

I am currently looking for work, but if we used her whole income to calculate I would only be able to earn about £300 per month, which might be difficult to find.

I hope this makes some sense.

National_Debtline

Hi Daz

If we were arranging a DRO for you, we would typically look at the whole household's income and expenditure to begin with, then work out your proportion of the living costs on a pro-rata basis.

If we assume that your own personal income currently consists of unemployment benefit only - i.e. £71/week approx. - then your % of the household income will be very small, and we will assume that you only cover that same % of the household's bills. Either way, it is intended to reflect the fact that you as an individual will struggle to pay anything significant towards your debts.

We get - and approve - many such applications where an individual is seeking a DRO while living with a solvent partner. The DRO doesn't drag your girlfriend into the matter in any real sense.

Hope that helps clarify things!

Regards

Dennis
Twitter: @natdebtline

MUMZ2BEE

National_Debtline wrote: »

Hi Daz

If we were arranging a DRO for you, we would typically look at the whole household's income and expenditure to begin with, then work out your proportion of the living costs on a pro-rata basis.

If we assume that your own personal income currently consists of unemployment benefit only - i.e. £71/week approx. - then your % of the household income will be very small, and we will assume that you only cover that same % of the household's bills. Either way, it is intended to reflect the fact that you as an individual will struggle to pay anything significant towards your debts.

We get - and approve - many such applications where an individual is seeking a DRO while living with a solvent partner. The DRO doesn't drag your girlfriend into the matter in any real sense.

Hope that helps clarify things!

Regards

Dennis
Twitter: @natdebtline

When you send out the application for the DRO, I was asked for bank statements, and I live with w working partner.

Do I have to give you his bank statements, even though it is only me who is applying for a DRO?

National_Debtline

MUMZ2BEE wrote: »

When you send out the application for the DRO, I was asked for bank statements, and I live with w working partner.

Do I have to give you his bank statements, even though it is only me who is applying for a DRO?

Hello there,

Generally you wouldn't need to send your partner's bank statements. The only time where it may be necessary is where your income is paid into their account (and example of this could be tax credits). In cases like that it would be possible to send a redacted statement showing just what we need, if preferred.

Really hope that helps!

David @ National Debtline.

SPELLKASTER

National_Debtline wrote: »

Hello there,

Generally you wouldn't need to send your partner's bank statements. The only time where it may be necessary is where your income is paid into their account (and example of this could be tax credits). In cases like that it would be possible to send a redacted statement showing just what we need, if preferred.

Really hope that helps!

David @ National Debtline.

Thanks David, me and my partner do not share a bank account.

I refuse to do so.

How many bank statements do I need to provide?

I cancelled my IVA roundabout begning of August, and I will need to wait for a failure certificate which I understand can take up to 6 months to wait for!!

holz183_2

Hi spellkaster
I've just had my dro approved. I live with my husband but his income was not included in the dro application. My only income is child benefit the only proof I had to supply was an award letter from the child benefit office but they said they would also have accepted 2 months bank statements. Hope you get it all sorted x

SPELLKASTER

holz183 wrote: »

Hi spellkaster
I've just had my dro approved. I live with my husband but his income was not included in the dro application. My only income is child benefit the only proof I had to supply was an award letter from the child benefit office but they said they would also have accepted 2 months bank statements. Hope you get it all sorted x

My partner's income was calculated along with mine when National Debtline did a rough estimate.

Which DRO provider did you go with can I ask!?

holz183_2

I went with stepchange. When we worked out the budget they took my husbands income into account just to make sure a dro was the right option for us as a household but when it came to filling in the application they left his income out and used just my child benefit. I spoke to national debtline first who told me they had a backlog and it would take a minimum of six weeks to sort out. Because I was getting near the 15000 allowance I rang around and stepchange got the entire process completed within ten days from start to finish. I was able to send all my paperwork etc by email which made it so quick and easy, I would definitely recommend them

SPELLKASTER

holz183 wrote: »

I went with stepchange. When we worked out the budget they took my husbands income into account just to make sure a dro was the right option for us as a household but when it came to filling in the application they left his income out and used just my child benefit. I spoke to national debtline first who told me they had a backlog and it would take a minimum of six weeks to sort out. Because I was getting near the 15000 allowance I rang around and stepchange got the entire process completed within ten days from start to finish. I was able to send all my paperwork etc by email which made it so quick and easy, I would definitely recommend them

Thanks, I'll give them a call.

I need to wait for the failure certificate to come through from my IVA provider, they said up to 6 months!!

My total overall debt including the IVA fees come to between £8000/£9000!!

I get ESA and DLA so I know DLA wont be taken into account.

holz183_2

Oh no what a nightmare having to wait 6 months, luckily you are not too close to the limit so it should all be fine. Yes I would definately call stepchange they were fantastic and not too much paperwork to fill out, it was all really simple.
Good luck with everything x

fatbelly

daz103 wrote: »

I am planning on arranging for a DRO, Something I should have done years ago. I have just moved to Cornwall with my girlfriend and I am currently unemployed.

What I wanted to know is how do I calculate income and expenditure based on this situation? All of the debts are mine and nothing to do with my girlfriend at all. She is earning £25K a year.

Now when calculating income, do I have to take her whole wage into account (she has her own debts to pay), or do I work it out separately sharing the costs of living?

I am currently looking for work, but if we used her whole income to calculate I would only be able to earn about £300 per month, which might be difficult to find.

I hope this makes some sense.

Hi Daz

Who are you using for your DRO?

Have you contacted CABCornwall?