Desperate for advice/help *Twizzle in a pickle*

*Twizzle*

I have been a member of this site for many years and way back when you lovely lot helped me so much I will be eternally grateful So much has happened since I will try and write a brief ( probably garbled) summary

How things change .... I became a single, working mum 6 years ago, after a few hiccups we became extremely happy. I worked hard, all the finances were on track, I was extremely active (shared a horse with my friend, walking the pooch, walking, camping, gardening and off-roading) generally a lovely life and then the unthinkable happened ......

I had a horrific horse riding accident resulting in a smashed knee, so bad I am lucky to still have my leg! 2 weeks in hospital and 2 metal plates and pins in my leg and copious amounts of pain killers I came home .... And this is where the problems started, I have no knowledge of the benefit system, didn't know who to contact or what I could claim! It took me 6 months to figure things out and I think I get everything I am entitled to, ESA, housing benefit, council tax benefit and child tax credit.
After some encouragement from friends and my newly acquired boyfriend I applied for PIP, having no clue as to what to do or what it was all about this did not go well, my claim was declined, I did appeal and finally got the mobility part! disabled parking and reduced Road Tax neither of which I sorted out as my health has deteriorated with 2 other problems rearing their heads! I also now have lung damage and am waiting for a diagnosis for this and after going to the Doctors with head pain and blurred vision I was referred to a neurologist who is testing me for MS after scans showed inconclusive brain activity. Just before the festive season I had a 'blackout' and since then my symptoms are drastically worse. I have loss of vision, fatigue, body tremors and worse of all intermittent memory loss. I haven't been able to tackle any of my finances properly, not the head in the sand, mentally I find it increasingly difficult to concentrate to the point of 'forgetting' about my DDs

I am already on a DMP but after a phone call with them can no longer carry this on due to my circumstances and they did recommend something else but I can't remember what they said!!!
I am now finding that far too often I am robbing Peter to pay Paul, borrowing money from my boyfriend to make sure my rent gets paid at a reasonable time then having to give him it back as soon as I receive my money.

I am so sorry for rambling, I have found this post difficult to write and I have probably missed loads out

Thanks Twizzle x

enthusiasticsaver

Sorry about all your health issues. My brother has been diagnosed with MS and I know the tiredness is an issue and lack of concentration, fatigue etc so I hope you do not have that on top of everything else.

Positively presumably as you are receiving enough benefits to pay rent, food your essential costs are covered. Have you rung stepchange to discuss your dmp? They are usually very helpful and may suggest either an IVA or bankruptcy depending on how much unsecured debt you have and whether you have any assets - car or whatever. Robbing Peter to pay Paul does not work so stop that. Borrowing from your boyfriend and then paying it back as soon as you get benefits is not a good idea either.

You need to learn to prioritise and budget for everything. If you get housing benefit and council tax help presumably that is your essentials covered re rent etc? Next is services - electricity, gas, water and then food. Everything else is then budgeted for including unsecured debt. Defaulting on it may be needed to get them to agree to 0% but as you are on a dmp presumably this has already been done.

If you struggle to understand what stepchange are telling you get a family member or friend to sit with you when you phone them. You need a reduced payment agreed if you can no longer afford it but you will need to give them income/expenditure details so have that all to hand.

sourcrates

Hi,

If benefits are your only income you should not be on a DMP as you won't be able to afford it.

How much debt do you have ?

I suspect stepchange have recomended either a debt relief order, or bankruptcy, dependant on your level of debt.

EssexHebridean

Twizzle I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances - that's a rough roll of the dice.

The first port of call for you may as with so many others be to put together your SOA as that will enable you to go over all your outgoings and get everything in one place. While it may not be helpful for finding any further savings, it does give you a central "budget sheet" to refer to when you get muddled. It may be that it is still worth you posting that into here as well as there may be places savings can be made that you've overlooked.

Have you checked that you're now getting everything you are entitled to in the way of benefits?

*Twizzle*

Hi, thanks for the replies Sorry I haven't responded I've had a bad couple of days ( most of yesterday asleep)!

I have sat and thought about how I got in this pickle and all I can come up with is the festive period, which I thought I had been quite frugal on but apparently NOT and leading up to the festivities my dad was in hospital for a few weeks so there was extra fuel and parking fees to pay every day.

So far this month I have managed not to rob Peter to pay Paul AND not borrow any money to get by although my rent will be a few days late

To clarify a few things .... I have a DMP with Payplan and remember a telephone conversation with them before Xmas, unfortunately I had just lost my dad ... you can imagine with everything else I was in a bit of a state and I can't remember all that was said. Thanks sourcrates, it was a Debt Relief Order they were talking about, must make this a priority phone call!

You're right enthusiasticsaver .... I have enough benefits coming in to cover the essentials .... JUST!!! And yes I do have all of that on top of everything else its been a shock to the system I can tell you!

I will post my SOA next week ... as best I can anyway.

I am at the moment trying to get my diary in order, income, outgoings etc meal plans and hospital/doc appointments for me and my mum. Can't believe how much hard work it is now I am still getting confused!!!

Twizz x

sourcrates

*Twizzle* wrote: »

Thanks sourcrates, it was a Debt Relief Order they were talking about, must make this a priority phone call!

Ah, ok, thats good.

I would follow there advice and wrap this up once and for all.

DRO`s can be approved, up and running, within a week of submission by your intermediary, they are quick, and easy to apply for, as long as you fit the criteria, and your intermediary agrees, then its virtually a done deal.

It will be one less thing to worry about.

fatbelly

From your description, it sounded like a case for a DRO - they work well for people on disability benefits as PIP/DLA is not counted as income.

So if you started one, then say got the care component of PIP (and I'm amazed that you are not receiving this) then it wouldn't make any difference.

Equally if you decided to use/not use your mobility side to get a motability car then it wouldn't make any difference.

In the run-up to a DRO you must treat all creditors equally. I tell my clients that the easiest way to do that is to pay none of them anything! Just save for the £90 fee that you will need.

Obviously you need to keep paying things like rent, tv licence, car insurance

Please carry on and post a soa so we can see if there is anything out of the ordinary.

*Twizzle*

Even though I'm having a 'wobbly' day I've managed to do my SOA so here goes ....

1 adult
2 teenagers (I put this as they never stop eating or growing)
1 Truck (ancient but will never part with him)
Various animals

Income -
£491.00 ..... T/Cred
£394.00 ..... ESA
£138.00 ..... C/Benefit
£ 91.00 ..... Mobility
£494.00 ..... Housing Benefit

= £1607


Outgoings -
£600.00 ..... Rent
£ 27.00 ..... Council Tax
£ 11.00 ..... Water
£ 21.00 ..... Car Tax
£ 10.00 ..... Mobile Phone
£ 16.00 ..... Contents Ins
£ 25.00 ..... Landline/Broadband
£ 60.00 ..... Car Ins
£ 12.00 ..... TV Licence
£160.00 ..... Gas and Electric
£200.00 ..... Diesel
£300.00 ..... Food/Laundry/pet food
£ 20.00 ..... Birthdays/Xmas
£ 20.00 ..... Car Maintenance/MOT
£ 30.00 ..... Hair Cuts
£ 60.00 ..... Clothes

= £1572

Leaving £35.00 for Payplan (although they got it to £32)

Shopping at Lidl
my clothes, when I do them, come from charity shops, sales or are freebies.
Truck maintenance would be higher but I am blessed with awesome fellow truck owners who keep giving me parts for him. What I have put is for maintenance and repairs my OH will not tackle.

Don't be too harsh please

Twizz x

angelpye

Hi Twizz,

Have you looked around for cheaper contents insurance? My combined buildings and contents is £15 a month so yours seems a little high unless you have specific individual items that need cover?

Bit of a personal one here, are you fit to drive? I ask because your health sounds i.e. blackout sounds risky and I wonder whether if you were in a crash if that would be covered in insurance? I don't know about these things but worth investigating I think. The truck costs you £301 a month which is a great expense...only you can decide if its worth it.

Gas and electric seems really high to me. I pay £74 a month and I am home a lot so heating plus electrical items on most of the time.

I know you are tired a lot but the food budget will hopefully reduce the more on top of meal planning etc you are although I am guessing the pets take up a chunk of this?

final thing is the numbers are all round when I am guessing they are not in reality i.e. TV Licence is £12.12 a month...all adds up.

I hope they get to the bottom of your health soon so you can at least get a plan in place to properly manage the condition in best way possible. I thin the unknown is always the worst about illnesses.

HTH, Angelpye

MrsTinks

*Twizzle* wrote: »

Even though I'm having a 'wobbly' day I've managed to do my SOA so here goes ....

1 adult
2 teenagers (I put this as they never stop eating or growing)
1 Truck (ancient but will never part with him)
Various animals

Income -
£491.00 ..... T/Cred
£394.00 ..... ESA
£138.00 ..... C/Benefit
£ 91.00 ..... Mobility
£494.00 ..... Housing Benefit

= £1607


Outgoings -
£600.00 ..... Rent
£ 27.00 ..... Council Tax
£ 11.00 ..... Water
£ 21.00 ..... Car Tax
£ 10.00 ..... Mobile Phone
£ 16.00 ..... Contents Ins
£ 25.00 ..... Landline/Broadband
£ 60.00 ..... Car Ins Shop around for this - see if adding your partner to the insurance will help bring this down - it's HIGH :eek:
£ 12.00 ..... TV Licence
£160.00 ..... Gas and Electric Tricky - I'd say this can be reduced, but with MS I know it can be challenging to keep warm so don't let yourself get cold! DO turn things off, encourage teenagers to turn things off and if possible reduce thermostat maybe 1 degree or set a timer on the hot water so it's only hot when you actually need it?
£200.00 ..... Diesel If at all possible try to reduce this- I spend this amount and I commute every day to work which is 1 hr 20 mins in the car 5 days a week plus a bit at the weekend... Make sure all trips are needed and try to combine them
£300.00 ..... Food/Laundry/pet food Shop around -teenagers are growing beasts but bulk buy pet food where you can and check online
£ 20.00 ..... Birthdays/Xmas
£ 20.00 ..... Car Maintenance/MOT I know you don't want to get rid of truck but if it's costing £240 PLUS things your OH is doing as well as £60 a month insurance and then tax... I'm thinking you might need to rethink the practicality of this car...
£ 30.00 ..... Hair Cuts Check for local hair dressers who need models or have trainee schemes. if you all have hair cut every 4 weeks - eek it out to 5...
£ 60.00 ..... Clothes How much of this is for the teenagers? Even for 3 of you then this can be cut back. If they want snazzy clothes then suggest they get after school jobs

= £1572

Leaving £35.00 for Payplan (although they got it to £32)

Shopping at Lidl
my clothes, when I do them, come from charity shops, sales or are freebies.
Truck maintenance would be higher but I am blessed with awesome fellow truck owners who keep giving me parts for him. What I have put is for maintenance and repairs my OH will not tackle.

Don't be too harsh please

Twizz x

I'm guessing from description of the other truck owners this may be a landrover?
They are fun but they are NOT cheap - seriously reconsider this.

As far as your SOA - keep it as it is - you need to have nothing left over really for your DRO so my comments are for making your life easier and to enable you to put aside an emergency fund for if something goes bang.

You'll get there!

*Twizzle*

thanks for the reply Angelpye,

I thought the contents insurance was high as I was typing it!!! I'm afraid the renewal came amidst all the crisis so didn't take much notice ... bad of me I know
No, I am not driving at the minute my truck is for emergency use only ie taking my mum shopping or to appointments (she can't get in OHs truck its too high LOL)
I have literally just changed energy supplier it goes through on the 17th but have to say I am on meters so it is a bit more expensive :mad:
I have been trying to meal plan, the food shop has been for things that are easy to cook as I'm shattered come teatime. Can't always handle the food shop either, I get frustrated/tired and sometimes end up throwing anything in the trolley
Yes the animals take up a lot of the budget although we have been trying to source the cheapest of what we use .... I love them all and they keep me going, give me something to focus on plus most of them are rescued, either by us or the Reptile Rescue


I hope they get to the bottom of it soon, had MRI scans on spine and head before crimbo, seeing Neurologist next week for the results!!!! if nothing comes back .... lumberpuncture next