Debt Problems - Have I Covered Everything ?

Maverick33

Ok, i'm quite new to these forums and have been finding my way around for the past week but i feel the time is right for me to post this and see i have everything covered or if there is anything else i need to know or have missed..

I have been off work through illness since April 2007 and am still off now, from April until Oct i was on reduced pay from my employer which basically was just about enough to live on ie pay the rent and bills etc, but not enough to pay any of my creditors.. In Oct any income from my employer ceased and i went onto Incapacity Benefit which i am still claiming, on top of this i get Housing & Council Tax benefit.. So again nothing surplus to pay any creditors..

Due to the nature of my illness (Mental Health) i pretty much ignored all letters from my creditors from April until Xmas, as i was in no fit state to try to resolve anything..

In January 2008 i finally contacted CCCS to went through and income & expenditure and recommended an offer to my creditors of £1 month each - which they all ignored and carried on sending letters - luckily i wasn't getting pestering phone calls & when i did i told them to put everything in writing..

In April 2008 a Community Legal Advice Centre opened in my town so i made an appointment and went and spoke to someone face to face who went through all my debts, this now included some utility debts.. Fortunately i have moved house so all utility debts are final bills as i signed up with new suppliers at my new flat.. They advised me that the best course of action would be bankruptcy due to the uncertainty of when i might return to work (that's a whole new thread), even if i was to return to work they said i would be paying back for upwards of 15 years..

They filled out for me an application to the Severn Trent Trust Fund for the Bankruptcy fee but said it would be unlikely if i got it but it was worth a try and i am now waiting a decision on that.. Are there any other ways of maybe getting help with the fee ?? as for me to raise the £345 would take a minimum of 35 weeks putting aside £10 per week (which would be a push)..

My debts total around £18,000..

Hope i have covered everything for anyone to advise, or if more information is required then please let me know..

Regards
Mav..

Maverick33

Ok, small update to this - Severn Trent trust have declined my application for a grant..

Not really sure what to do now....

beanielou

Sorry to hear that your grant application was declined.
Do you have any past employers who have a benevolent fund who might be able to help?
Take care.

10past6

Hi Maverick33

Can I just confirm, are you living in rented accomodation?

Maverick33

beanielou wrote: »

Sorry to hear that your grant application was declined.
Do you have any past employers who have a benevolent fund who might be able to help?
Take care.

Thanks for the reply..

Not that i am aware of, think most of the places i used to work for have closed down..

Maverick33

10past6 wrote: »

Hi Maverick33

Can I just confirm, are you living in rented accomodation?

Hi 10past6 - Thanks for the reply..

Yes, i am in rented accomodation..

Jenna

Hey there Maverick,

Sorry to hear of all the problems you've had in the last year, and well done on starting to look at the best way to resolve your debts

You may get some more specific advice on bankruptcy (BR) if you post on the BR board - worth a try anyway. Would any of your creditors declare you BR do you think? I'm not really sure how it works so again I'm probably not the best person to advise. Maybe you could go back to the local advice centre and see what they suggest?

Let us know how things go

Maverick33

Thanks Jenna, will have a look at the BR board..

I do intend to go back to the advice centre to inform them about the grant application and see if they can suggest anything..