Redundancy - please help!!

HollyGG

Hi, Haven't posted before so I hope that this is in the right place.

I am about to be made redundant. I acknowledge that I am luckier than most, as a reasonably recent single mum of two girls (6&7) I have already started to review work/home commitments and look at new employment options and am likely to be accepted into a school as a paid unqualified teacher from September. I will lose my company car but am being offered a package, which is currently being negotiated but will be in the region of £25-£30k.

Unfortunately, having become 'recently single' I now also have a debt of £22k.

I had hoped that I would be able to repay the debt, and buy a small family car, and realised that I may have to claim benefits for a couple of months to get by until my new job started in September.

I have been told today that I would not be allowed to do this as I would be claiming fraudulently having gotton rid of my cash. I can understand the principle behind this but surely if i have an equally sized debt then this is not the case?

Please can anyone help me out as having just been through a year of absolute hell financially and emotionally, I thought things were finally getting sorted out and this has really knocked things back to square one again.

Thank you so much,

HG x

allen35

You have recently become single so does the childrens father pay his way if not CSA.

HollyGG

Hi Allen 35, yes he makes a monthly private payment to me for them. he threatens becoming self employed on a zero income (same job freelancing - very easy for him) if I go via csa.

I have supported us by myself for almost a year now but racked up the debts re-homing us as we had to leave quickly with jsut our personal belongings as he was drinking and had become very agressive/violent. We were not married and so there was no responsbility towards me and the property we lived in was jsut in his name. I had a good job and so have been ok, but now i need a bit of support inbetween jobs its not looking very hopeful!

DaisyFlower

Why not just live (and really budget) off the money until you start your new job - its only a few months away. Then anything left over can be used to clear most of your debt and bring the repayments down.

You cant really expect to buy a car and then claim benefits claiming you have nothing to live on.

With your maintenance, tax credits, FA you should be able to manage to save quite a chunk of your payout towards your debts.

HollyGG

Thank you!

Yes you are probably right, and i've calmed down a bit now and worked out the numbers and its probably not as bad as it seemed last night when it was stopping me from sleeping again!!! I had only been deserate to clear the debts in full as the new job - albeit more family orientated one which is fantatic for my kids - will half my salary, which is a big worry. I'll survive it somehow, i know there are people in worse situations by far.

Butterfliesarepretty

I am being made redundant at end of may and my package is similar to yours.
I have been told by the csa that my package is NOT SEEN AS INCOME so yes you can claim unemployment benefit until you find a job. I will also be claiming tax credits if I can. After all I have worked for 22 years and always paid my nat insurance. People who have left before me have all got their unemployment benefit. If you don't ask you don't get.

I intend to use some of my package to replaster my walls in the house, as I have never ever been able to afford it before and it looks a mess. The rest I intend to invest and while I look for a job I will budget to pay myself £900 a month, things like petrol (no more driving to manchester £35 a week), no more union fees £12 a month. No more lunches at work, but my electric and gas will probably increase as I will be at home more. Also to pay off my small debts and hope an outcome of my bank charges refund will be due when the test case is over (£1200 hopefully).

Call_Centre_Guru

Hi HollyGG the most important thing is to get the right advice for your individual circumstances there are a number of rules out there (including not having more than 16k in savings) but there are benefits out there not means tested shawtj2 is right if you don't ask etc. Make an appointment with the job centre and then seek out your local tax office, once you have the definative answers to your questions you can plan ahead. Good luck.

HollyGG

Thank you all !! x