Need cder group advice, desperate

newmrsf

I have a court fine from ages ago, I don't want to go into that, it was at a very bad point in my life. Because the amount is high, cder group have said it needs to be paid within a certain timescale and set the payments at £365 a week. I suffer mental health, anxiety, depression and have a medically complex son in the house, I've managed some payments by literally selling everything, not paying my other bills, borrowing from family and cutting down on food. I'm now at a stage I can't even afford minimal food and debts are mounting up. I've hit an all time low and even thought about ending it all. I've contacted their welfare team today to explain the situation, they have turned round and said it needs to be paid within a timescale. There is no way out, I don't know what to do, I honestly can't cope anymore

TripleH

Stop. Take a deep breath and relax.

These firms will always want you to pay to their terms (ie in as short a period of time as possible). If you cannot afford to pay £365 a week you cannot pay that.

You need to work out how much you can afford to pay and pay that. If they take you to court because you are only paying £10 a week but you show a budget showing that is all you can afford, the judge won't force you to pay more (for example).

DO NOT borrow money from elsewhere to pay this debt off either.

Hopefully @fatbelly @sourcrates or another of the wonderful posters on here will ge along to give better advice.

EssexHebridean

Firstly, please do contact one of the mental health charities for support from that perspective. Secondly, I know it sounds trite, but it IS true that suicide is NEVER an answer - honestly - and I promise you that you will be immensely glad in the future that you have come through this, which you will.  

Is it the court that has set the amount that you have to repay? Usually they go to lengths to ensure that the amount is achievable on someone's current income, but I can't imagine too many folk would be able to pay that sort of amount! 

newmrsf

Thank you😢it's cder group that have set the amount, they won't budge on it. The thought of court again petrifies me and that makes the suicidal thoughts worse. I'm not working, I'm a home carer for my disabled son. The welfare team at cder advertise that they will help, but they aren't willing to budge either 

sourcrates

From what I can make out from their website, they just a plain old collection company, no special rights or privileges, If you can’t afford the fine you should contact the fines officer at the court and ask for a reduction in your payments.

As far as I can see they are just collecting the fine on behalf of the court.

Make sure you do this this before you miss a payment as the court can take further steps to collect the fine if you miss payments.

You should also send a written complaint to cder about your treatment.

newmrsf

Can I speak to the fines officer at the court even if it's been passed to cder? 

sourcrates

newmrsf said:

Can I speak to the fines officer at the court even if it's been passed to cder? 

You can do whatever you want to do.

Tell them the DCA is not listening to you.

newmrsf

I just didn't know if they would listen or do anything as it has been passed to cder

TripleH

Newmrsf, no, the courts will listen to you. Ring them today and explain. They may well ask you to show what you can and cannot afford, but the people on this site can help you put together your budget to send to the courts.

Soucrates does know their stuff.

Relax, there's a solution to any money problem.

EssexHebridean

You need to tell them what you have told us - that this is having a severe effect on your mental health, that you simply do not have this level of money available, that is affecting your ability to feed yourself, and that you are being pushed into mental health crisis by the way their collection agents are dealing with you. Don't understate things at all. 

newmrsf

I've called the court and explained everything, they have said the fine isn't with them, it's with cder group and there is nothing they can do??? The enforcement agent has tried calling me today and its just sent me into a major panic. I asked the fines officer if I don't pay it, then does it go back to court, she said she doesn't know and to talk to cder group as again its nothing to do with them now it's passed over. Literally just crying in a heap now, don't know what to do