Is there ever 'not enough money' to pay down debt and start saving?

Fritterbug

fatbelly said:

Your local citizens advice may have people who specialise in negotiating the disability benefits maze.

Do you feel that you could post a statement of affairs (link to calculator)?

Thank you. I did ask Citizens advice and also welfare rights for help when I made the claims but they both said that due to funding cuts they didn't have anybody available to take on my case. I live in quite a small, poor ex mining-town so I think they genuinely do have more demand than supply.
I've done my SOA but I don't think there's much I can cut back on!

[font=courier new][b]Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet[/b][b]

Household Information[/b]

Number of adults in household........... 1

Number of children in household......... 1

Number of cars owned.................... 0[b]

Monthly Income Details[/b]

Monthly income after tax................ 0

Partners monthly income after tax....... 0

Benefits................................ 1070

Other income............................ 0[b]

Total monthly income.................... 1070[/b][b]

Monthly Expense Details[/b]

Mortgage................................ 0

Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0

Rent.................................... 435

Management charge (leasehold property).. 0

Council tax............................. 15

Electricity............................. 30

Gas..................................... 30

Oil..................................... 0

Water rates............................. 35

Telephone (land line)................... 0

Mobile phone............................ 8

TV Licence.............................. 0

Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0

Internet Services....................... 35

Groceries etc. ......................... 220

Clothing................................ 0

Petrol/diesel........................... 0

Road tax................................ 0

Car Insurance........................... 0

Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0

Car parking............................. 0

Other travel............................ 60

Childcare/nursery....................... 20

Other child related expenses............ 0

Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0

Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0

Buildings insurance..................... 0

Contents insurance...................... 8

Life assurance ......................... 15

Other insurance......................... 0

Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 25

Haircuts................................ 10

Entertainment........................... 0

Holiday................................. 0

Emergency fund.......................... 0[b]

Total monthly expenses.................. 946[/b]

[b]

Assets[/b]

Cash.................................... 0

House value (Gross)..................... 0

Shares and bonds........................ 0

Car(s).................................. 0

Other assets............................ 0[b]

Total Assets............................ 0[/b]

[b]

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts[/b]

[b]Unsecured Debts[/b]

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR

Overdraft......................600.......0.........0

Clothing catalogue.............300.......15........0

Pay weekly carpets.............600.......50........0[b]

Total unsecured debts..........1500......65........-  [/b]

[b]

Monthly Budget Summary[/b]

Total monthly income.................... 1,070

Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 946

Available for debt repayments........... 124

Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 65[b]

Amount left after debt repayments....... 59[/b]

[b]Personal Balance Sheet Summary[/b]

Total assets (things you own)........... 0

Total HP & Secured debt................. -0

Total Unsecured debt.................... -1,500[b]

Net Assets.............................. -1,500[/b]

[/font]

Fritterbug

[Deleted User] said:

Join Freecycle. There's always decent stuff that people are trying to get rid of including beds, cookers, washing machines, kitchen stuff - any number of things and a lot of it is only being given away because a new kitchen etc is going in and there's nothing wrong with. Your problem is, if you haven't a car is getting it delivered although there are a few kind souls on there who will deliver if it's not too far, just so they can get rid of it.

Thank you so much for this suggestion, I've signed up and can't believe how much is on there! A few have even put in the description that they're happy to deliver locally, amazing.

Fritterbug

sourcrates said:

It can be difficult sometimes, an ex soldier who lost both legs in afgan, lives down the road from me, they took away his mobility benefits because he received new prosthetic legs, still can`t meet the criteria for walking distance, but they stopped them anyway, had to go through the appeals process, which took 8 months, only to be eventually awarded them back again on appeal.

You really need an advocate to help you with these things, I would say CAB should be able to help out, fatbelly, is this an area your organisation can help with ?

That's horrendous! It's heart breaking how little is done for those who have served, they always seem to be left behind and forgotten about :'( Glad to hear that he won it back eventually.

I think I'll try again to claim after the replies I've had on here, I'll check back in with CAB and Welfare rights to see if they have anyone available. Thank you.

Fritterbug

Blodyn82 said:

I would really encourage you to try and claim PIP again and any other benefits you are entitled to. Where are you based? I know in Wales the Integrated Autism Services are good at supporting people with these kind of things, and they really do understand the difficulties you may face. There is also information on the NAS website on PIP. Autistic UK is peer led and can be really supportive, you can find them on Facebook. 

As others have said having an advocate would be really beneficial, or someone who knows you well and can help explain your difficulties. Often the PIP assessors don't know much about autism and don't understand the difficulties you may face on a day to day basis. Under the equality act you have a right for reasonable adjustments and this includes communication. 

Thank you. I didn't actually mention that I was autistic when I claimed, as I'd say I'm pretty high functioning. I mainly claimed for CFS/ME and fibromyalgia, which are physical issues. I just put that I had social anxiety, but I suppose it is caused by not knowing how to act in social situation or what to say so I could include autism when I claim again. Do you think the organisations that you've listed would still be of any help if I'm high functioning?

kimwp

Fritterbug said:

fatbelly said:

Your local citizens advice may have people who specialise in negotiating the disability benefits maze.

Do you feel that you could post a statement of affairs (link to calculator)?

Thank you. I did ask Citizens advice and also welfare rights for help when I made the claims but they both said that due to funding cuts they didn't have anybody available to take on my case. I live in quite a small, poor ex mining-town so I think they genuinely do have more demand than supply.
I've done my SOA but I don't think there's much I can cut back on!

[font=courier new][b]Statement of Affairs and Personal Balance Sheet[/b][b]

Household Information[/b]

Number of adults in household........... 1

Number of children in household......... 1

Number of cars owned.................... 0[b]

Monthly Income Details[/b]

Monthly income after tax................ 0

Partners monthly income after tax....... 0

Benefits................................ 1070

Other income............................ 0[b]

Total monthly income.................... 1070[/b][b]

Monthly Expense Details[/b]

Mortgage................................ 0

Secured/HP loan repayments.............. 0

Rent.................................... 435

Management charge (leasehold property).. 0

Council tax............................. 15

Electricity............................. 30

Gas..................................... 30

Oil..................................... 0

Water rates............................. 35

Telephone (land line)................... 0

Mobile phone............................ 8

TV Licence.............................. 0

Satellite/Cable TV...................... 0

Internet Services....................... 35

Groceries etc. ......................... 220

Clothing................................ 0

Petrol/diesel........................... 0

Road tax................................ 0

Car Insurance........................... 0

Car maintenance (including MOT)......... 0

Car parking............................. 0

Other travel............................ 60

Childcare/nursery....................... 20

Other child related expenses............ 0

Medical (prescriptions, dentist etc).... 0

Pet insurance/vet bills................. 0

Buildings insurance..................... 0

Contents insurance...................... 8

Life assurance ......................... 15

Other insurance......................... 0

Presents (birthday, christmas etc)...... 25

Haircuts................................ 10

Entertainment........................... 0

Holiday................................. 0

Emergency fund.......................... 0[b]

Total monthly expenses.................. 946[/b]

[b]

Assets[/b]

Cash.................................... 0

House value (Gross)..................... 0

Shares and bonds........................ 0

Car(s).................................. 0

Other assets............................ 0[b]

Total Assets............................ 0[/b]

[b]

No Secured nor Hire Purchase Debts[/b]

[b]Unsecured Debts[/b]

Description....................Debt......Monthly...APR

Overdraft......................600.......0.........0

Clothing catalogue.............300.......15........0

Pay weekly carpets.............600.......50........0[b]

Total unsecured debts..........1500......65........-  [/b]

[b]

Monthly Budget Summary[/b]

Total monthly income.................... 1,070

Expenses (including HP & secured debts). 946

Available for debt repayments........... 124

Monthly UNsecured debt repayments....... 65[b]

Amount left after debt repayments....... 59[/b]

[b]Personal Balance Sheet Summary[/b]

Total assets (things you own)........... 0

Total HP & Secured debt................. -0

Total Unsecured debt.................... -1,500[b]

Net Assets.............................. -1,500[/b]

[/font]

Well done on posting your SOA, there isn't much to go at as you say. Is it realistic that you do not spend anything on clothes? I would consider doing no/free presents and seeing if you can reduce the food spend (not that it is unreasonable, but it is possible to eat well and healthily for less) and put this freed money to debt reduction.
Once you have the APRs, then pay only the minimum on the debts apart from the most expensive, which you put the rest of the money to. It might be worth building up a small emergency fund as well.

Blodyn82

Fritterbug said:

Thank you. I didn't actually mention that I was autistic when I claimed, as I'd say I'm pretty high functioning. I mainly claimed for CFS/ME and fibromyalgia, which are physical issues. I just put that I had social anxiety, but I suppose it is caused by not knowing how to act in social situation or what to say so I could include autism when I claim again. Do you think the organisations that you've listed would still be of any help if I'm high functioning?

Hi Fritterbug, I would definitely add that you're autistic when you claim. Even if you're high functioning I'm sure there are things that you may not realise that make day-to-day life hard such as sensory difficulties and as you stated social anxiety. CFS/ME and fibromyalgia are often seen co-occurring in autism especially in women but are often misunderstood by clinical staff, and it might be hard to describe how it affects you to the assessor.

Yes the organisations can help if you're high functioning and Autistic UK are a great community for support. 

Sncjw

Is there anyone at the council that could help. My local council there was someone who helled me fill forms in.

Do you get any help from friends and family at all. I don't want to sound negative but they may ask how you manage to bring up your child. 

Fritterbug

Blodyn82 said:

Fritterbug said:

Thank you. I didn't actually mention that I was autistic when I claimed, as I'd say I'm pretty high functioning. I mainly claimed for CFS/ME and fibromyalgia, which are physical issues. I just put that I had social anxiety, but I suppose it is caused by not knowing how to act in social situation or what to say so I could include autism when I claim again. Do you think the organisations that you've listed would still be of any help if I'm high functioning?

Hi Fritterbug, I would definitely add that you're autistic when you claim. Even if you're high functioning I'm sure there are things that you may not realise that make day-to-day life hard such as sensory difficulties and as you stated social anxiety. CFS/ME and fibromyalgia are often seen co-occurring in autism especially in women but are often misunderstood by clinical staff, and it might be hard to describe how it affects you to the assessor.

Yes the organisations can help if you're high functioning and Autistic UK are a great community for support. 

I had no idea of the overlap, that will be very interesting to read up on and hopefully help me explain things better so thank you. I'll have a read of those websites too, thanks, they look like they have a LOT of content!

Fritterbug

Sncjw said:

Is there anyone at the council that could help. My local council there was someone who helled me fill forms in.

Do you get any help from friends and family at all. I don't want to sound negative but they may ask how you manage to bring up your child. 

Yes I'm going to get in touch with them again tomorrow, hopefully there'll be somebody free to help.

This is definitely something that I'm worried about. If I didn't have a child then I would probably manage a part time desk job or similar, and I'm not sure if they'll see it as not their problem that I put my limited energy towards raising a child instead of working. I do have a lot of help with him in the way of free nursery hours and his Dad, and there's no way I'd manage without those.

enthusiasticsaver

If you are unable to increase income then I would see if you can maybe reduce the grocery spend and really target that catalogue and close it as that is an expensive way of buying clothes assuming you use it for that. Are the debts really all interest free? If you did not have the debt you would have more spare disposable income for treats, house etc and realistically benefits only really cover a subsistence level of living.  Getting some help with claiming PIP might help. I would place emphasis on the physical limitations you suffer due to CFS/ME but also mention the autism.  You do not have to say you are high functioning as sad to say you have to really downplay your abilities when it comes to  claiming benefits.