Problems with CCCS

mrsh2103

I am dealing with the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (the free one).

My budget is:

Income: £1208pm

Mortgage £385
Water £12
Council Tax £97
Gas £45
Electric £45
Buildings & Contents £22
Telephone (inc internet & mobile) 60
TV Licence £12
Life Insurance £25
Mortgage Protection £20
Road Tax £15
Car Insurance £30
Fuel £60
Food, Toiletries, Cleaning & Clothing £180
Prescriptions (asthmatic) £9
Dentist £10
Contact lenses £11

I am paying 24 creditors at a total of £41k debt.

My payment to cccs is £170.

Hope this covers everything.

Thanks

Cleosmum

Are you getting all you are entitled to? Tax credits? Council tax benefit?

Telephone (inc BB and mobile) seems high, who is this with?

Ames

Have you looked into getting a prescription pre payment card, I think it works out cheaper than paying for them every month.

Also, could you split out the food/toiletries etc costs to make it a bit clearer?

You don't have anything for entertainment, clothes or haircuts either.

I'm sure the real experts will be along soon though.

mrsh2103

I do have a prepayment prescription card. I've been told I can't have anything for entertainment, and i buy clothes from the supermarket in with my food budget. I buy all my food and toiletries in the supermarket so it's difficult to split these.

My niece is training as a hairdresser so she is cutting my hair.

My broadband is £18, BT is £17 and I put £25 on my pay and go mobile each month as I am looking for a higher paid job, but have to make lots of phone calls to do this.

10past6

Try Payplan, there's nothing saying you have to stop with CCCS, or consider doing your own DMP

Cleosmum

mrsh2103 wrote: »

I do have a prepayment prescription card. I've been told I can't have anything for entertainment, and i buy clothes from the supermarket in with my food budget. I buy all my food and toiletries in the supermarket so it's difficult to split these.

My niece is training as a hairdresser so she is cutting my hair.

My broadband is £18, BT is £17 and I put £25 on my pay and go mobile each month as I am looking for a higher paid job, but have to make lots of phone calls to do this.

You could swap to Talk Talk (go via quidco for cashback) which is roughly the same as you currently pay for bT, but includes most landline calls and free broadband. Can you email possible employers, rather than call on a mobile? if you do have to call then use your landline call allowance on your landline (with talk talk). i would aim to put on no more than £10 pm on PAYG. its difficult, i can tell, but there could be a little leeway in your current budget, having said that I would kick CCCS into touch if they insisted I live as close to the edge as they are making you. My first step would be to insist that you just cannot manage, failing that then try another free DMP provider, or go it alone and do your own payment plan (i do my own, wouldnt have it any other way).