Can't afford to get to work

Mokey76

Hi all

I've been working at the same company for around 5 1/2 years. It's 30 miles away from my home and I usually travel by train to get there. Since I started, my monthly train fare has gone up by around £50 - it is now £265. I have been struggling for the last 18 months and this month it has got to the point where I have no money to get to work but it's 16 days till pay day.

So my question is, what do I do?

I am actively looking for a new job in my home town. I don't have any other transport options - there's no one I work with that works in my home town, there is not a bus I can get instead and walking is not an option.

Where do I stand with work? If I phone them and say I can't afford to get there, what would they do??

Thank you in advance for any help or advice

Masomnia

Discipline you for absence without leave.

Could ask for a pay rise, or ask for an advance on your wages.

Do you have a credit card you could use to tide you over to pay day?

iammumtoone

Post your SOA on the debt free board, people will look at it and help you find the extra money needed for the train fare.

That is not going to help you this month your options are to borrow the money or bike.

It is not an accectable reason not to go into work as you can't afford it, how you get there is not your employers problem.

Are you sure there is not a bus? you live in a town big enough to have a train station but no buses!! There might not be a direct bus but you might be able to get there with a combination of buses and walking.

[Deleted User]

Ask for leave - whether unpaid or see if you can do (maybe) a buy of additional leave allowance?

Ultimately perhaps you are looking at moving nearer place of work?

Guess it's why many employers nowadays do not want employees who have to travel

heatherw_01

As stated, either ask for an advance on your wages or time off

xapprenticex

£265 to get to work and back per month is madness unless you work in London or something. Sounds like it would be cheaper to drive.

Mokey76

Time off is not an option as we are short on staff. There isn't a bus, I don't live in the same town that I work in (Work in the centre of Birmingham - live in a town 30 miles away)
Cycling to work isn't an option either - very busy roads and a dodgy knee.
Not sure they would do an advance, but then that would bring the same problems next month?
Been asking for a pay rise for 2 years (or at least to be paid for the job I'm doing not what I was originally paid to do)
Credit cards are all maxxed out.

Think you've all said what I was thinking, so I really think I'm screwed until I can find a new job :-(

Mokey76

xapprenticex wrote: »

£265 to get to work and back per month is madness unless you work in London or something. Sounds like it would be cheaper to drive.

It would if you had a car and somewhere to park. Yes it is a ridiculous amount to pay.

iammumtoone

like I said its not going to help you this month but do an SOA and post on the debt free board, you will surprised at how people over there can come up with money saving suggestions to help in future months.

Kohl

Do you think your company would be open to offering flexible working? All employees have the legal right to request it and the employer must deal with the request in a 'reasonable manner' (although of course, they can always say no).

Obviously I don't know if it's compatible with the type of work that you do, but might they allow you to work from home 1 or 2 days a week? This could help you cut down on the cost of your commute and is (potentially) easier for an employer to grant than an advance on wages or additional leave.

London50

Perhaps you could ask your firm for travel loan to buy a yearly train ticket and pay back a percentage each month.
Many companies do this and if you are needed/wanted by your company I would think it would help both you and your place of work as they can count on you each day and after the deduction/pay back you will know what money you have left for the month