Think we need help please

Pixie5740

DODDY wrote: »

housing benefit is most likely a none-starter lived here for 3 years but don't have an official tenancy, nothing dodgy there is no mortgage on the property and he has land-lord insurance,

You pay rent in exchange for exclusive use of the property therefore you do have an official, legally binding tenancy in place. It doesn't have to be in writing.

Sometimes councils have issues granting housing benefit to those renting from family but given you have been living there for years and paying rent already it would be much less of an issue. I certainly think it's worth investigating at the very least.

anna_1977

Hi, I know someone asked earlier but I can't see the answer, is your son at 6th form college or Uni?

kirstle99

Hi there I rent from my mum and I am entitled to housing benefit. I, like you, had lived here for a while before I started claiming it; all my LA wanted was a copy of my tenancy agreement (my mum got if from amazon I think!) it was the 6 month one that you renew.

Mum charges me the market rate and I have a rent book she records my DD payments in. She does all the tax return stuff and has a buy to let mortgage, landlord insurance etc. Basically the LA said as long as I can show I am treated as any other tenant would be then there is no issue. I have never had any further problems from it.

Hope this helps.

[Deleted User]

DODDY wrote: »

Household Information[/b]
Number of adults in household........... 3
Number of children in household.........
Number of cars owned.................... 2

Monthly Income Details
Monthly income after tax................ 1047
Partners monthly income after tax....... 336
Benefits................................ 0
Other income............................ 0
Total monthly income.................... 1383

Monthly Expense Details
Mortgage................................ 0
Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0
Rent.................................... 500
Management charge (leasehold property).. 0
Council tax............................. 154 - If this is over 10 months, switching to 12 months will reduce it to £128-33.
Electricity............................. 89 -This seems high. Check comparison sites, and see if you can cut back.
Gas..................................... 0
Oil..................................... 0
Water rates............................. 67
Telephone (land line)................... 35 - This is high. Check comparison sites.
Mobile phone............................ 0
TV Licence.............................. 0
Satellite/Cable TV...................... 6.99 - You can't afford this.
Internet Services....................... 0
Groceries etc. ......................... 300 - You should be able to cut this a bit. Go down a brand, batch cook etc.
Clothing................................ 0
Petrol/diesel........................... 100
Road tax................................ 14.16
Car Insurance........................... 45 - Is there a reason this is so high?
Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 50
Car parking............................. 0
Other travel............................ 0
Childcare/nursery....................... 0
Other child related expenses............ 36
Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 8.66
Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0
Buildings insurance..................... 0
Contents insurance...................... 0 - You need this. It needn't cost a lot.
Life assurance ......................... 0
Other insurance......................... 0
Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 0 - Nothing, ever?
Haircuts................................ 0
Entertainment........................... 0 - Nothing, ever? Not even a bottle of wine/beer, or a takaway?
Holiday................................. 0
Emergency fund.......................... 0 - You should have something in here.

Total monthly expenses.................. 1405.81


Assets
Cash.................................... 0
House value (Gross)..................... 0
Shares and bonds........................ 0
Car(s).................................. 4000
Other assets............................ 0
Total Assets............................ 4000

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts

Unsecured Debts
Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR
sainsbury bank.................5400......225.......0
HSBC CC........................3800......95........18.9 - Any space on the other card(s), to BT to?
HSBC CC........................1675......42........0
Total unsecured debts..........10875.....362.......-


Monthly Budget Summary
Total monthly income.................... 1,383
Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 1,405.81
Available for debt repayments........... -22.81
Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 362
Amount short for making debt repayments. -384.81

Personal Balance Sheet Summary
Total assets (things you own)........... 4,000
Total HP & Secured debt................. -0
Total Unsecured debt.................... -10,875
Net Assets.............................. -6,875.

My comments in red.

consultant31

I have no financial help to give but I would like to say that you sound like a lovely man with an excellent relationship with your wife and son......these things are worth more than money, as I'm sure you already know. Good luck x

Bedsit Bob, reading the earlier posts answers most of the queries in yours!

northerner999

anna_m wrote: »

Hi, I know someone asked earlier but I can't see the answer, is your son at 6th form college or Uni?

The original post said higher education, which means university (college is further education).

enthusiasticsaver

There is not much breathing space in your SOA and no emergency funds which is worrying. Hopefully now your wife has some supermarket work this will help a bit. My suggestion is that you move the HSBC debt on to 0% and at least then the debt will not be increasing. Do not get a consolidation loan as this will not help you with the limited income you have. I should think the groceries could be reduced though. I know South West Water is expensive, we live in the South west too but even so your monthly amount is a lot. We were paying £60 per month but they have just put it down to £29 as we were in credit.

Sazzie23

consultant31 wrote: »

I have no financial help to give but I would like to say that you sound like a lovely man with an excellent relationship with your wife and son......these things are worth more than money, as I'm sure you already know. Good luck x

Bedsit Bob, reading the earlier posts answers most of the queries in yours!

Priceless in fact, and I hope you can both get back on top of your health issues, I'm sure worrying about money won't be helping either of you.

Don't be afraid to

a; apply for benefits, yes I know they make you feel like you are a scheming fibbing grabber, but actually I'd rather you claimed something that you are entitled to than my taxes went to someone who never worked a day in their life.

b; declare you cant pay your debts, even if its only a few months while you get back on your feet, yes it will screw your credit rating, but you can't really afford to take on any more. Unsecured creditors should give you 30 days to try to sort it while you take advice from Stepchange or other (always choose free) debt advice.

c: I know you don't want to take money off the boy, but its not unreasonable to ask for a small contribution, e.g. £5-10 a week towards food, would help.....

well done for taking the first step at fixing your money issues, and good luck.

[Deleted User]

What is the balance on your electricity account?

Energy suppliers are more than happy to let a surplus build up, so it's worth checking if you are well in credit and, if so, insisting they refund you, and reduce the monthly payments.

uncreative

Its already missing items like emergency fund, haircuts, insurance so if you continue the way you are, the next time the car needs repaired or you need a new washing machine it will sting. You have no room to pay off the debts you owe.

Monthly take home of £1,047 is annual take home of £12,564, and based on a 40 hr week equates to minimum wage. The answer is not to cut any more expenditure, but to start generating income.

I know that is much much easier said than done but you had your own business so you have the DNA as it were. Your wife picking up cleaning jobs also shows you are workers at heart.

Also check the benefits situation, through websites like "entitledto.co.uk"

From running your business you will know that cutting costs is short term and cant be done too much, its about generating income now and tahts what I would focus your attention on.

Good luck, you can do it!