help!

doggonedebt

Ok this is my second attempt at posting so hopefully it will go well.

Relaying my statement of affairs is difficult as for the past two years I've just run from debt and moved so letters aren't getting to me.

The info I can give in my SOA is as follows:

£5,000 in court costs following a failed claim in a tribunal against my lovely former employer.... big long story here....

Credit card (halifax) c. £3,000

Credit card (mint) c £2,000

overdraft (halifax) £2,000

Student loans (c £8 - 9,000 including I think charges for arrears)

Odd other stuff like a credit agreement for a laptop (£1,000 possibly)

Store card - not sure but a least a few hundred

Another store card - was only £20 the last time i heard but probably much more now

£300 for an apparent overpayment of housing benefit in 1995!

overdraft (HSBC) £600

as I said these debts are probably a lot more now on account of my hiding ever since I fell ill, had to stop work went on incapacity benefit while recovering from radiotherapy...

Still not working but looking and hoping to undertake a six month training programme through New Deal/CSV shortly

Have absolutely no assets whatsoever in fact I only have a post office account into which my JSA is paid, which is all i have right now.

Am considering bankruptcy because I do not want to pay the court costs for the tribunal as my former employer has already ruined my career and, in my view, should not be reimbursed for expensive solicitors who lead the tribunal up a merry path...

Anyway that's all i can think of,

Any advice much appreciated

Doggone

doggonedebt

So having read some other posts I fear mine might have come across a bit blase. This is not the case though having nothing does make one a little indifferent to the risks. Baliffs arriving at my door would be sorely disappointed and leave empty-handed. Though my debts are a problem I really want to begin to tackle, having gone through major surgery and radiotherapy and now facing a possible recurrence of my tumours according to the latest scan not to mention having my reputation in a ten year career totally wrecked, somehow makes owing money seem a little less pressing.
In all probability the tumours won't get me and I'll live for many more years so I really need to start sorting this stuff out.
Please help,

Thanks
DD

Keeping_Positive

I think you need to give more info on your SOA ie what income and the monthly payments including groceries etc for us to be able to give advice. See Martins budget planner on the resource bar at the top.

The main thing I would say is to contact one of the debt charities I can never remember the names except CCCS. They will be able to go through and advise the best option for you.

Still post your SOA on here as we can advise if we think there are areas you can save on.

Sorry youve been through a rotten time.

doggonedebt

Thanks Wendy. I appreciate your words. I've just taken the huge step of applying for an Experian credit report so we'll see what it throws up. I'm quite scared.
The thing about my expenses (and Statement of Affairs) is that I'm currently being carried by my OH for the ABSOLUTE necessities and foregoing on what I used to consider necessities (haircuts clothes fun etc). I wish this wasn't the case.
Also my situation is quite fluid as I might get offered one of these jobs I'm applying for (I am getting lots of interviews so...), in which case my earnings would be in the region of £20,000 - £25,000 by the time I have to make a decision on how to tackle the debts.
If I get on the training course I mentioned my earnings will be only a few hundred more than I'd recieve on benefits for six months from April.
After that who knows?
Alternatively if I take the plunge and go self-employed (done it before) my earnings could be anything between nothing and thousands per year.
I know it's a copout but I'm willing to go for the easiest route to clear all the debt even if that means having an income of next to nothing for a few years so that my debts are wiped clear for lack of means to pay. I don't even know if this is possible.
I've always done voluntary work (even while in full time employment) and will happily do more to maintain my sense of worth in the community and retain some semblence of sanity.
I feel strongly that the company which forced me into a tribunal should not get a penny from me but if I earn, as the court costs are the biggest debt I have, they'll get paid first and most. It's true that I couldn't convince the panel that I deserved unpaid wages and compensation for the treatment i received so, to all intents and purposes, it appears my former employer did nothing wrong but, as we all know, miscarriages of justice happen every day.
It's help with which is the best course to take that i seek cos if just working in a bar part-time, declaring bankruptcy and deliberately keeping my earnings under a certain level for a period of time will mean not paying anything to anyone, particularly my former employer, I'll do it. The banks bled me dry for years with charges (I remember three in one month once - £90!) so I've no qualms about not paying them either.
It'll take me more than five years to pay all this off anyway so perhaps bankruptcy is the best way... I don't know.
Thanks for responding again,

All the best and take care,
DD

Keeping_Positive

With regards to the best route try speaking to CCCS, they also have an online form you can fill in if you dont want to call. This should hopefully give you an idea of your available options. Bankrupcy is always an option as long as it wont affect your (potential) employment. Personally for me I would have to move out of the field I work in so it couldnt be an option for me.

Good luck with what you decide, please try not to dwell on your previous employer and think of the future. Easier said than done but its unlikely you will be ever able to hurt them in any way or get revenge so please dont waste any of your valuable energy on them.

davek1

i agree speak to one of the debt charities. My guess is that they will say go bancrupt as you don't have sufficient income to service these debts.

I'm sorry to hear about your poor health but given that you are on benefits you wouldn't have to pay the fee's to go bancrupt. Given the circumstances i think any Judge and OR would be very sympathetic and for you this seems to me to be the most sensible course of action.

try to take the personal issues out of it regarding your former employer ( we live and learn and every experience makes us wiser) stick to the fact, whcih are how much you owe and deal with it in that way.

Hope all goes well.

Dave

mummytofour

I understand how ypu feel with kinda wanting the easy way out, life sometimes just totally runs away from us and becomes out of our control.
At least with BR it would all be over, good luck.