Two choices: unemployment or homelessness.

Younganddumb

So, here the deal! I posted a couple of months back "About to lose control" where I explained how I was in just under £8k worth of debt and I was making arrangements to start a DMP and I opened up a new "safe" bank account. In the end I didn't go ahead with a DMP as I decided I could get things done far quicker at my own rate... however!

2 months later and the debt is now £6.5k (so just over £1k down) and I (given I don't spend any more money this month) SHOULD be out of the borrow-to-live cycle but my current living circumstances are about to change.

Basically, I used to live with my mum up north and moved away at 18 to go to uni in Wales, when I dropped out at 20 I was applying for jobs both back at home and down south where my Dad lives (as he made it clear I am welcome to live with him at any time) and I ended up getting the job down south. So after living with him for 6 months (and just after paying for an expensive holiday to Australia!!) he decided to tell me that him and my step-mum had agreed I was only allowed to live with them for 2 years but they'd "forgotten" to tell me. Anyway that was about this time last year and now it's been brought forward to this summer so 18 months total.

Now, my problem is this: I am currently paying roughly £600 a month towards my debts and I earn around £850 a month. I live in a rather expensive area (especially considering my salary) and I'm not sure I can maintain my payments if I were to move out (and this would just have to be lodging with someone else!)

However, on the other hand, I've been applying for jobs back up north (which are few and far between) and I got a job interview for the exact same job I have now in the same kind of setting - and I didn't get it. At risk of sounding big headed, I am very good at my job. I have plenty of experience and I work really well.. I know full well the reason I didn't get it. The job market is so poo up north that when jobs like that do come EVERYONE applies for them so you're bound to get people who are just as good as me but are more qualified.. even the feedback after my interview was one teeny tiny criticism which just sounded like they had to find an excuse for why I didn't get it - which I am fine with as I understand the job situation up there it's just a big pain for me. But now I'm just thinking, this is the job that I was supposed to be able to get easy peasy, like most of my management knew I was going for the interview and the general consensus was "they'd be stupid not to take you" and I still couldn't get it.. which means I'm not likely to get any job if I can't get the one i'm "most qualified" to do? Because the plan was when I get kicked out of my Dads I would move back in with my Mum and work there and even if I didn't have a job I'd still move back.. but I'm trying to reevalutate the situation again.

If I move back without a job; I will be late on my payments, increase fees and increase debts. - But then here I'm not sure I can afford my own place? And with such a short amount of time to raise a deposit! And I'm not sure if I could get a DMP if I'm going to be changing my circumstances so soon? and I have so many questions I just don't know what to do. I tried to contact the council for help but they said they can't do anything because it'd be 'voluntarily homeless' (I don't see how?!).. I don't know which risk is bigger.. unemployment or possible homelessness? Because even if I do find somewhere to live I have no idea how much of a negative impact that'll have on my finances too!

Dozey_crow

Of dear.. How horrid for you. It is difficult but I would look at prioritizing work as it will give you more options you can rent a ton out bedsit and keep earning not ideal I know. If you end up homeless the local council are right you are unlikely to get help and it will be almost impossible to maintain a job in these situations

If you went to mums area the council there won't help as you have no 'right to reside' so not a great idea unless your mum will let you move in without means to contribute to household bills?

So I would look at renting anywhere to keep my job and still apply for ones down south.
Hth

xHannahx

Reading between the lines it sounds like step mum wants you gone in the timeframe given. Dad didn't tell you as he thought she'd forget or change her mind. If it means a roof over your head make token payments to the debts, £1-5 a month.
You could earn more than you are earning now full time in a supermarket /fast food joint which I'm sure must be available up north if you had to move to your mums and became desperate.
£850 per month is national min wage for 30 hours a week. What career prospects are there to get a better wage in that job? It certainly in your current position isn't worth homelessness.

chevalier

What a shame that your dad can't do more for you. Could he at least lend you the deposit and bond on a place, seeing as it is his decision to make you move out?

I would strongly suggest talking to CCCS or payplan and see about going on a DMP. You will only be paying token payments which would allow you to save for a deposit. I take it that if you can stay in the area you currently live, you can still keep the job you currently have?

Can you get more work to up your income, that would be the other thing to help things.
chev

Younganddumb

Thanks for your replies, I really appreciate it and it's extremely helpful - also having just reread my original post, sorry that it's so incoherent and irrelevant.. my brain doesn't function properly past 10pm!

xHannahx wrote: »

You could earn more than you are earning now full time in a supermarket /fast food joint which I'm sure must be available up north if you had to move to your mums and became desperate.
£850 per month is national min wage for 30 hours a week. What career prospects are there to get a better wage in that job? It certainly in your current position isn't worth homelessness.

The £850 a month is my basic salary which I get as a minimum every month - I work 32.5 hours a week term time as I work in a school. I often then do 10 hours overtime after school club a week at £8.60 an hour and furthermore I do respite care at the weekends for 3 hours for £9.50 an hour. But these aren't guaranteed hours and some weeks I won't do any of these and they are all only term-time hours so the per/hour jobs I don't get paid over the holidays. I have looked into doing an additional job on top of these but with me already doing 45.5 hours a week at irregular times I struggled to find anything. So my wages can vary from £850-£1050 a month but it's generally usually around £900.

chevalier wrote: »

What a shame that your dad can't do more for you. Could he at least lend you the deposit and bond on a place, seeing as it is his decision to make you move out?

I would strongly suggest talking to CCCS or payplan and see about going on a DMP. You will only be paying token payments which would allow you to save for a deposit. I take it that if you can stay in the area you currently live, you can still keep the job you currently have?

Unfortunately my Dad is very much in the mindset of if I've made a mess I need to sort it out myself - which I do respect but sometimes a little help is needed before I can actually sort myself out! I have asked him about it but he has never wanted to have anything to do with my financial situation - to the extent that whilst I was in uni I struggled to find any kind of accommodation as he would not be my guarantor.


If I do decide to stay in Reading where I have my job but need to find some accommodation (which is now my train of thought) should I fill out a DMP form before or after I move? As I'm scared that if I do one now and then have a 'change of circumstances' within a month that the companies will not be happy.. Also, if I do wait until after when I could only offer token payments would this not make the companies much less likely to accept the offer? And if I get a DMP would I be able to increase the payments on certain months (to reflect increased wage when I do overtime)
Sorry for all the questions.. I'm just really cautious before I do anything as I want to make sure i'm making the right choices.. so far I've only defaulted on one payment which was two months ago so I'm not sure how that affects the likelihood of things.

rockm87

try spareroom websites just for the time being, or air bnb for the short term.

once you get some money coming in you will be in a better position to make a decision.

FatVonD

It sounds like you are doing too many other jobs to consider this but throwing it into the mix anyway... have you considered live-in jobs?

Younganddumb

I have been looking on spareroom and the cheapest I can find is £435 with all bills paid.. I've just gone on stepchange and done the debt remedy tool and trailed it out if I were living at that address and it said I'd be left with £45 a month so I could get a DRO.
For my wage I put that I get £850 monthly as this is the minimum I get but this does vary based on the amount of overtime I do etc.. I assume if I did opt to get a DRO it would be denied because of the potential to earn more than this £850 a month?

dancingfairy

Can you have a word with your family and try and come to some agreement? Perhaps you could offer to pay some rent to help out or by food? (is the reason they want you to move out as they think you are not standing on your own 2 feet or do they just want their space back?).
Maybe you could say you'll move out but in 6 months time and save like mad for a deposit?
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dancingfairy

I'm not sure how the council came up with the decision you'd be intentionally homeless? presumably if you are living with family and they kick you out and you can't afford the rent you are homeless?
If the worst comes to the worst I'm sure the council would have to consider you as homeless although whether you'd actually be at the top of the list and get help is another matter. If you need to you can call Shelter for help on this.
Personally I'd say if you have to move out, having a job is better than moving somewhere without a job and having to pay bills.
You should be able to afford to rent a room from what you've said so you will need to go down the dmp route. It's definitely doable. If you are worried about the cost of moving etc and will end up defaulting on your debts anyway then I'd stop paying the debts (maybe send a token amount if you feel obliged) and a letter saying that you have realised you are in debt and are seeking advice from x,y,z charity. You can make token payments for a few months until you know what the situation will be with the housing etc and then you can do a dmp or a DRO if you qualify.
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