Mental Illness & Debt

whambam

Hello,

I have been recently reading about how some people can get their debt reduced or even written off if it disturbs and worsens their mental illness? Many just declare themselves bankrupt, however there is an alternative:-

http://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/money-issues-benefits-employment/options-for-dealing-with-debt/write-offs

Anyone been down this path?

Thanks.

billywilly

whambam wrote: »

Hello,

I have been recently reading about how some people can get their debt reduced or even written off if it disturbs and worsens their mental illness? Many just declare themselves bankrupt, however there is an alternative:-

http://www.rethink.org/living-with-mental-illness/money-issues-benefits-employment/options-for-dealing-with-debt/write-offs

Anyone been down this path?

Thanks.

Surprisingly I did just that way back in 1996. I had a £3500 debt on a credit card and just under £4000 overdraft. My bank - Lloyds - agreed that because I was unwell and would probably never work again (with no savings or assets, they were all in my wife's name) they wrote the whole lot off. They did however ask me to contact them if I won the lottery in the future.

cloudydays

billywilly wrote: »

Surprisingly I did just that way back in 1996. I had a £3500 debt on a credit card and just under £4000 overdraft. My bank - Lloyds - agreed that because I was unwell and would probably never work again (with no savings or assets, they were all in my wife's name) they wrote the whole lot off. They did however ask me to contact them if I won the lottery in the future.

Bet it's your wife who plays the lottery and claims the winnings :rotfl:

billywilly

cloudydays wrote: »

Bet it's your wife who plays the lottery and claims the winnings :rotfl:

In fact she does!

Why people put themselves on offer when taking on debts astounds me. To have joint entitlement to assets and capital and at the same time have joint liability to debt is madness.

Richie-from-the-Boro

billywilly wrote: »

In fact she does!

Why people put themselves on offer when taking on debts astounds me. To have joint entitlement to assets and capital and at the same time have joint liability to debt is madness.

In fact she does!

- your wife Flo has always been an accommodating type Andy
- you are indeed a lucky man

Mrs_Ryan

I've had quite a lot of debt written off. I have fibromyalgia and cancer related mental health problems and I sent a copy of a consultant's letter with proof of benefit and a SOA to Lowell who held twelve of my debts and I believe about eight have been permanently written off.

maddoglady

Would any of you be so kind as to post, or PM me, a template letter as this is something I find totally bewildering but, fingers crossed, could help me. Thank you

tomtontom

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

I've had quite a lot of debt written off. I have fibromyalgia and cancer related mental health problems and I sent a copy of a consultant's letter with proof of benefit and a SOA to Lowell who held twelve of my debts and I believe about eight have been permanently written off.

Does it not make a mockery of the system when someone claims to be unable to pay their debts, yet has the latest iphone? Sorry, that doesn't sit right with me

whambam

billywilly wrote: »

Surprisingly I did just that way back in 1996. I had a £3500 debt on a credit card and just under £4000 overdraft. My bank - Lloyds - agreed that because I was unwell and would probably never work again (with no savings or assets, they were all in my wife's name) they wrote the whole lot off. They did however ask me to contact them if I won the lottery in the future.

What letters did you have to send them?

Mrs_Ryan wrote: »

I've had quite a lot of debt written off. I have fibromyalgia and cancer related mental health problems and I sent a copy of a consultant's letter with proof of benefit and a SOA to Lowell who held twelve of my debts and I believe about eight have been permanently written off.

Who is SOA? were the 8 debts written off credit cards or loans or overdrafts or a mix?

Mrs_Ryan

I don't actually have the latest iPhone. That would be the iPhone 6. I actually have an iPhone 5S which is far from being the latest iPhone. It ain't in my name either and I don't pay the bill. The phone is my lifeline to the outside world. Read in another thread where I said I was bedbound for three weeks. I have no landline and my laptop is broken. If I had to pay the bill myself then I would be seriously stuck as I couldn't. I used to pay the bill myself, when I was working. But then when I became ill someone else paid it. If you think that's so wrong then I'm awfully sorry but it's none of your business how my Mum spends her pension money that she worked hard all her life for. Anyway.
SOA is statement of affairs. Like an income and expenditure. It was a couple of credit cards, a store card and the rest were catalogues. As for a template I believe National Debtline have one but I just wrote a letter saying I can't afford to pay these debts as I'm on ESA long term due to these medical conditions and would ask you to consider write off. I sent a copy of my consultants letter confirming that I had a diagnosis of cancer and complex severe mental health problems, and a copy of my ESA award notice plus an income and expenditure form.

Feral_Moon

Were you actually working when you took on these debts?