Like many others ive been made redundant.... I need advice

keighley.johanne

Hi,
I'm looking for advice, my brain is frazzled!

Like so many other people I have been made redundant. I was furloughed in April, I was asking my boss every few weeks if I had a job to come back to - his response being "im hoping so". Fast forward and I called him again and he joked that my ears must have been burning as he had been speaking about me & needed to call me... "unfortunately you don't have a job, in 2 weeks time you will get a letter giving you your weeks notice" - GREAT!! 

While I was furloughed I had been applying for jobs, I had maybe 2/3 interviews but nothing come of them. I have been applying solidly since he told me I don't have a job, 18th September I got my final wage. The previous week he hadn't paid his 10% contribution, I am waiting for my payslip to see what the actual breakdown is. I made an application for JSA. I thought I'd try and apply for Universal Credit, but as my boyfriend works 40hrs a week and brings home £1600 a month & we don't have children- I think I've got a better chance of finding a Unicorn in Epping Forest!!

We have a mortgage, £618 a month & a loan payment, £204.54: we have not taken a payment holiday on these yet as I was still getting furlough payments (£224pw) so we wanted it keep it going as long as possible, Hoping I would actually still have a job.
Our monthly joint bills are £1650 a month, then plus our separate commitments - Credit Cards & Phone bills & he has a car payment. - I have 2 credit cards, I took a payment holiday on 1 - that expired & I put the other on a payment holiday, which expires 22nd nov.

I have a spreadsheet running at the moment and I'm trying to figure out how to make this work... I'm looking at putting both the mortgage & loan on holidays but paying the interest on them - £225 mortgage & about £40 on the loan.

I don't know what is best to do. I'm sat here staring at the screen trying to figure out the best way to make money stretch as long as possible. I'm reading up about benefits and payment holidays but nothing seems to be going in.

Q: Can I extend the payment holiday on my 2nd card?
Q: Can I request another payment holiday on my 1st card?
Q: What other help is possibly available to us?

Galloglass

Q: Can I extend the payment holiday on my 2nd card?
Q: Can I request another payment holiday on my 1st card?
Q: What other help is possibly available to us?

Payment holidays don't help much as you'll incur interest (unless your cards are 0%) so all that does it parks more debt off into the future. It is more likely you should try to reign in some of your spending to find the cash to pay down your debts. 

Start with a Statement of Accounts so others can make suggestions on where there may be opportunities for savings.
Use this one as it link with MSE https://www.lemonfool.co.uk/financecalculators/soa.php

poppy12345

Based on your circumstances with your partners earnings and you own your home home then you won't be entitled to any Universal Credit.

If you've paid the correct amount of NI contributions through working in tax year April 2017 to April 2019 then you can claim New Style JSA, this pays £74.35 per week (if over 25) for 26 weeks. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance#how-to-claim

keighley.johanne

Galloglass said:

Q: Can I extend the payment holiday on my 2nd card?
Q: Can I request another payment holiday on my 1st card?
Q: What other help is possibly available to us?

Payment holidays don't help much as you'll incur interest (unless your cards are 0%) so all that does it parks more debt off into the future. It is more likely you should try to reign in some of your spending to find the cash to pay down your debts. 

Start with a Statement of Accounts so others can make suggestions on where there may be opportunities for savings.
Use this one as it link with MSE https://www.lemonfool.co.uk/financecalculators/soa.php

I cut back our bills in jan, it was 1800 a month & food.
Ive managed to get the bills down to 1650 & 130 for food. We have a service charge which has doubled to £74 a month this year because of roof repairs to the block.
But I will look into it again.

keighley.johanne

poppy12345 said:

Based on your circumstances with your partners earnings and you own your home home then you won't be entitled to any Universal Credit.

If you've paid the correct amount of NI contributions through working in tax year April 2017 to April 2019 then you can claim New Style JSA, this pays £74.35 per week (if over 25) for 26 weeks. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance#how-to-claim

I did think so, but thought it was worth a shot.

I am booked in to have a tooth extracted on friday after having a crown done last year may, it now has decay underneath. I cannot afford to pay for the root canal (£270) I cant even afford to pay for the extraction now, I had to borrow the money last year to have it done. I looked into it to see if I could get free treatment now I dont have a job, but because I will be on Contribution based JSA I wont be. So looks like I will have to cancel it again.

gwynlas

Sorry to hear of your redundancy but you have done the sensible thing in coming to this forum for advice.
You might also need advice with seeking employment, you haven't shared what your role was or what the local job market is like.
Alot of people here have been in similar situations, I was made redundant twice.

Tammykitty

Are you entitled to any redundancy payment - would help tide you over?
Are your credit cards 0%? - if not get them transferred (and will probably have to be in your partners name as you will find it difficult to get credit without a job)
Payment holidays will help in the short term.
Long term - obviously you need a job - what are the job prospects in your area like 
Any training you could do - lots of free online courses out there at the minute

[Deleted User]

The job market was starting to open up again but Johnson probably just killed it again with new restrictions until well into next year. If you find a job, any job, grab it and hold on for dear life because this won't end soon and we still have the brexit iceberg coming in January.

poppy12345

keighley.johanne said:

poppy12345 said:

Based on your circumstances with your partners earnings and you own your home home then you won't be entitled to any Universal Credit.

If you've paid the correct amount of NI contributions through working in tax year April 2017 to April 2019 then you can claim New Style JSA, this pays £74.35 per week (if over 25) for 26 weeks. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance#how-to-claim

I did think so, but thought it was worth a shot.

I am booked in to have a tooth extracted on friday after having a crown done last year may, it now has decay underneath. I cannot afford to pay for the root canal (£270) I cant even afford to pay for the extraction now, I had to borrow the money last year to have it done. I looked into it to see if I could get free treatment now I dont have a job, but because I will be on Contribution based JSA I wont be. So looks like I will have to cancel it again.

NHS low income scheme would be your only option but whether your partners earnings will prevent you from claiming this i don't know. Details in link. https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/nhs-low-income-scheme-lis/