Paying bills when unemployed

Leese2016

Hi Everyone

I am claiming both JSA & HB & I currently live in shared accommodation & to say it's been hell is an understatement but the plus side is my landlord pays ALL the bills incl broadband. Now I'm planning to move not only from the property but to a different city altogether & during the months & months of research the properties I've found that accept HB are either HMOs which include all bills or a studio or 1 bed (I'm single with no children) that doesn't include any bills. My dilemma is do I risk moving into somewhere where the problems are likely to be similar to here & I'm not wasting everyone's time by describing them but psychologically & emotionally I'm at my wits end (I've been here nearly 3 years) or do I move into somewhere by myself but have the stress of having to pay all my bills?

I wish there was a way to find out how much each utility bill would cost before signing the tenancy agreement & as I'm obviously not the only unemployed person out there how does everyone else manage to pay their bills?

Many thanks.

CashStrapped

What is the dilemma? Are your current problems anything to do with paying utility bills, or is it the issue with living with other people?

That aside....

You indicate that everything is all inclusive at the moment. Are you paying a large extra for it to be all inclusive.

No one can tell you exactly what it will cost you utility wise. We can only give you an educated guess. This is because it all depends on what your living habits are like, the type of property, weather and so on.

For example a single occupant in a small property may use a very low amount of gas and electric.

Current UK average figures are about 3500KWH for electric and 12500KWH GAS.

For a low user in a small property this could be as low as 2000KWH and 8000KWH.

Using these low figures in a comparison site for my area we can see that this will cost around £525 on a good tariff from one of the larger company's over a year.

If we use the UK average figures, then the cost would be around £748 for the year.

An all electric property using 7000kwh per year would cost £795.

So, as you can see, it all depends on what you use and the type of property.

The way you pay can also affect the cost. Paying by Direct Debit monthly gets you a discount and lower tariff prices. If you pay as and when your bill comes in, it will cost more.

The only thing you can do is monitor your meter (give meter readings every month) and ensure you put enough money aside.

Finally, do be aware that an all inclusive property, while taking away the stress of paying bills, can often work out more expensive. The landlord may add £10-£15 a week per person to cover this. This will cost the house far more than if an individual was paying the bill. The downside is that you need an individual you can trust and who is responsible enough to do this.

If you are on your own, there is no reason why paying your own bills should be an issue.

HappyMJ

Leese2016 wrote: »

Hi Everyone

I am claiming both JSA & HB & I currently live in shared accommodation & to say it's been hell is an understatement but the plus side is my landlord pays ALL the bills incl broadband. Now I'm planning to move not only from the property but to a different city altogether & during the months & months of research the properties I've found that accept HB are either HMOs which include all bills or a studio or 1 bed (I'm single with no children) that doesn't include any bills. My dilemma is do I risk moving into somewhere where the problems are likely to be similar to here & I'm not wasting everyone's time by describing them but psychologically & emotionally I'm at my wits end (I've been here nearly 3 years) or do I move into somewhere by myself but have the stress of having to pay all my bills?

I wish there was a way to find out how much each utility bill would cost before signing the tenancy agreement & as I'm obviously not the only unemployed person out there how does everyone else manage to pay their bills?

Many thanks.

It also depends how old you are. You need to be 35 or older to qualify for enough housing benefit to pay for the cheapest 1 bedroom/studio flat. As that flat is so cheap it's unlikely to be energy efficient. I live in a very energy efficient flat and pay £40 per month for both gas and electricity combined but it costs £25 per month more than the 2 bedroom LHA rate.

If you're under 35 it's unlikely you will get enough to pay for a self contained property and if you're under 25 it's extremely unlikely you could afford to live anywhere comfortably.

To convince a landlord you can afford the rent you really need to have either income or cash savings to pay the rent. Housing benefits are usually not counted as they may not pay the full amount if any.

Leese2016

Hi

No the dilemma is living with other people who take drugs, play loud music etc.

Yes my landlord does charge more than the LHA but apart from what I would call my own bills ie bills I choose to pay mobile phone, Sky topping up the rent is the only extra I have to pay so at the moment when I get my JSA every 2 weeks the money is more or less mine to do what I want with & some of the HMOs I've seen in this new city I plan to move to charge the exact amount of the LHA so apart from some unpleasant not to mention occasionally very frightening living conditions not having to pay my bills during the time I've been unemployed has been a huge benefit but I don't want to live like this anymore where not only do I dread every single day cos of the noise & drugs but as a female believe me I do not feel very safe..

tomtontom

Not all HMO's are a nightmare, you're more likely to get a quieter group if people are older and working (although they may be unwilling to accept you until you find employment). Do your research before you move, get a feel for the place before committing to anything.

Regarding living alone it is unrealistic to afford it on JSA. Most authorities now expect you to pay some council tax, add that to water, gas/ electric/ mobile/ TV licence/ broadband etc - plus the costs of job seeking - you're not going to manage on £70 a week.

bibirella

You are going to find roommates that are a better fit! Just keep on looking! Take your time and it will be better! The most important thing for your housing and your job situation is not to get stressed out!!