DRO advice

Barryshene

I had a DRO approved end of February. I'm on benefits, standard 400 quid, no other income, no assets besides my broken phone and trying to get more money to survive. I currently live with my parent.

 When I did the DRO I had no income and no real hope of getting a job due to MH issues, breakdown.
The issues are completing budgeting as obviously i can't fund myself. The company I did the DRO with  never respond to emails and telephoning goes round in circles.

The insolvency said i need  to complete a Standard Financial Statement (SFS) Review, i struggle with phone calls, who are the best debt advisors that can actually help me via email. Just struggling as stressing me out to the point ill probably end up homeless. my expectation is to get some more benefits but realistically just enough to survive.

fatbelly

So you had a DRO submitted and approved 5 weeks ago. Was it through Money Wellness? If not, who?

Have you checked that you are on the register?

https://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/eiir/

Are you saying that the DRO Team at the Insolvency Service have written to you? That would be unusual. If they had queries they would normally flag them up before approvng it.

And if you did hit problems, your Intermediary would be involved, and help you respond.

Can you quote exactly what you've been asked?

Why will you end up homeless?

Barryshene

When I took the dro I had no income, obviously that was going to improve as no one can survive off no income . Nothing was really explained as I thought benefits of 400 a month don't really provide more than a basic living standard.

I live with my parent so can't claim housing element. 

When I got my benefit I informed insolvency and the dro intermediary via email.

400 a month , budget doesn't cover everything.

The insolvency advise I need to complete a budgeting form but this is where it is getting confusing. Obviously my situation will improve as I now get benefits and hope to get more so I can pay towards bills fully, pay rent and my share of bills.

My expected budget is running greater than my income. I feel like I should just cancel as this is all confusing for things that are straightforward in my eyes.

I clearly don't have a surplus of 75, my family are covering the difference. I can't afford to move out as have no money for deposit and there are no places that I could rent that UC would pay for hence why I need more benefits to cover paying family.

I think I should have waited but tbh I'm struggling to cope with this all and was in a desperate place. 

fatbelly

I think what's happened is that the op did a DRO through Money Wellness based on no income, no expenditure.

They then claimed UC and got the basic award around £400 per month.

They then told the Insolvency Service. 

Well, if you add £400 income to a zero financial statement, you get >£75 surplus.

Rather than just revoke the DRO, the Insolvency Service have requested a new financial statement and Money Wellness are not showing much interest in being helpful.

Barryshene

yes, i've emailed three times no response. you can't actually speak with anyone. The options just refer to email, i will email again.

RAS

So your benefits should be paying for:

Rent to your parents
Food
Travel
Medical and dental
Media
A little entertainment or VFR
Hair cuts

When you got all that up, how much do you have left over?

ManyWays

I suggest you email a formal complaint to jonathan.warr@gregorypennington.co.uk (that is the email address given for complaints on the FCA website). Say you urgently need help to reply to the Insolvency Service but you have emailed Money Wellness several times and you are not getting a response. Give your full name and any MW reference number you had and the date the DRO started.

Barryshene

RAS said:

So your benefits should be paying for:

Rent to your parents
Food
Travel
Medical and dental
Media
A little entertainment or VFR
Hair cuts

When you got all that up, how much do you have left over?

negative currently, i have no excess money, the money goes towards food,fuel and a bit towards rent. my family are covering the rest, issue is they are struggling themselves. The issue is i have no assets, no money, so can't move out. I'm currently struggling with severe mental health issue  I am trying to claim additional benefits and if i do i will notify again.  I wasn't even aware of this scheme until a few weeks before DRO was granted, pretty stressful tbh but i will keep all communication, as i have and as per the legal requirements. I guess if it was cancelled i would go bankrupt, just didn't have money for that.

sourcrates

How much debt did/do you have?

PurpleMouse5

If sounds like you just need help to make a budget to send them? And you need that help to be by email? 

You could try citizens advice online Chat with us online about debt - Citizens Advice 

Here is an example of something you could write in the initial email to explain your situation in case it helps: 

"Hi, I need some help to make a budget and complete a Standard Financial Statement for the insolvency service. I have a DRO which I got in February. At the time I had no income and no expenditure and was living with parents. Since then I have been able to claim Universal Credit so I have told the insolvency service, and they are asking me to complete this statement. I am spending the benefits money on things like rent to parents, food and fuel and I have no excess money.  The organisation I originally got the DRO from are not helping with this. Due to my mental health issues I am very stressed and only able to communicate by email as this is more accessible for me." 



Don't worry - you shouldn't lose the DRO as you will be spending the benefit money on essentials. It's not a large amount of money and they won't expect you to have a surplus. You shouldn't lose the DRO if you start getting some disability benefits either as that's spent on additional costs.