Struggling to pay benefit fraud payments back.. bankrupt?

Foxton30 · 8 January 2020 at 1:00PM

i,

I’m new here and is desperate need of help.

7 years ago I left my abusive ex husband. Throughout our marriage and relationship I claimed as a single parent. This was due to me having zero financial help from ex and him taking whatever I was getting. I was in an awful position, my mum had just died (I was 19) and I was raising two children practically alone. I’m not trying to excuses but I was in a horrible situation.

Fast forward im now happily married with another child.

I live in his mortgaged house.

I don’t work but have started volunteering. I have been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.

I currently owe £18k for council and housing benefit. It’s currently with bristow and sutor and I pay £30 a week out of the allowance my husband gives me. They want to put it up in 6 months.

I owe £6k income support/tax credits roughly (been paying that back for years).

I am losing sleep over it. I’m so embarrassed that I feel like I can’t talk to husband about it. Plus I wouldn’t expect him to help me as he works bloody hard and already pays for us to survive.

I don’t know what to do. I can’t imagine being with bristow and sutor forever, they are bloody awful. Iv asked on other places and they tell me not to pay them and wait until it goes back, but I feel sick and the thought of living on edge.