I&E for BR - advice?

cinnabar

Thanks everyone for your replies

PixiePie - I hadn't thought of that re. TV licence if everyone was to move out - mind you I'd also be liable for all the other bills too which would be more of a worry! I don't have a lock on my door anyway and I'm not in a house of multiple occupancy - something to do with the number of adults and rooms - but I remember that about uni myself. But I think I will adjust the amount upwards, if nothing else it might counterbalance the OR making a reduction elsewhere!

wherediditallgo

I agree about the sundries - I've come across posts where quite reasonable amounts have been put down & have been refused, so I think the ORs don't like the idea of allowing you extra money for 'just in case' situations. I personally think it's better to incorporate that amount into something else. As for holidays, although it's not on the list of allowable expenses, you are allowed to put aside money for that. Depending on the size of the family unit, it usually starts at £40, though I've seen one instance of a great deal more. I put down £40 for mine (my parents live in the West Indies) & it wasn't questioned, so in your shoes I'd put down £30-40 for that as well as the £10 you were going to put as sundries just in case one is reduced, or put £40 down for holidays & leave out the sundry amount completely.

fermi

Yep. Holidays aren't always allowed on the SOA/I&E, but they are on the list of "expenses to be considered" by the OR here:

http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/freedomofinformation/technical/techmanvol1/Ch25-36/Chapter31/part7/part2/part_2.htm#26

31.7.26 Holidays

Previous guidance stated that an allowance for holidays should not be included in the calculation of funds available for an income payments contribution, other than in exceptional circumstances, for example where a dependant was sick or disabled. Whilst extravagance is not endorsed in this respect, it may be considered a reasonable domestic need to allow the bankrupt and his/her family to benefit from a non-extravagant holiday as a break from routine. Expensive or luxury holidays (particularly if the holiday is abroad) are likely to cause offence to creditors but an allowance of between £60-£80 per month (amounting to £720-£960 per annum) for a household of 4 people should allow the bankrupt and his/her family sufficient funds to take a moderate annual holiday. Should the bankrupt consider this allowance insufficient to fund a holiday, he/she should be informed that any additional holiday cost that he/she may wish to incur must be funded from the amount of surplus income left with him/her after deduction of the assessed IPA/IPO contribution.

And I agree with WDIAG that putting £30-40 for an individual, or the figures above for a family seems pretty reasonable. However, it is in the end up to your OR.

Saying that, the £20 in the OP's SOA might be more likely to make it past a grumpy OR. Depends how cheeky you feel.;)