Can't afford minimum payment -advice please?

[daysmustgetbetter]

I know I'm a idiot
When I moved into my house I had nothing
I got my appliances /sofa from littlewoods
I put them on buy now pay later but now I'm struggling.
I get £1,000 a month
£460 is rent £100 is gas /electric £90 council tax and I pay them £240
I'm left with £110 for food
It's killing me
I've asked if I can set up a payment plan they said no
I honestly don't know what to do
If I don't pay the full amount will they pass me to a debt collection agency ?

I think it's a case of pulling together to get the family on a more stable financial footing.
This in a nutshell.

This is if you are having trouble paying

www.littlewoods.com/ohs-i-am-having-financial-difficulties.page

Nope, but I do expect the adults in this scenario (all of them) to be pulling their weight.
That might mean studying or training full time and therefore not able to contribute much financially- all good.
BUT this appears to be adults sharing a home for free whilst dossing about. Their mother is barely able to afford to live and is in debt which could have repercussions if left alone. They should be helping to the best of their ability.

But we do know quite about about her because she's posted details!

If there are reasons why her DCs can't work full time the OP has the option to say so here.

Because it's rather odd that they left college 9 months ago and one only work 12 hours a week- that's a day and a bit!

Whatever they studied at college, doesn't seem to have channelled them into a worthwhile career.

There are LOADS of job vacancies. Shops, cafes, pubs, etc are crying out for staff and many are closing because they can't get staff.

Her kids are just working- it seems- for a bit of pocket money that they save for a holiday.

Time for them to enter the real world of grown ups.

And the OP has asked for a payment plan- read her posts.

If UC gives ££ to households of 3 (assuming healthy) adults who are working (25+20+12) 47 hours between them, by choice, then we have a benefits problem.

Op until you find a suitable full time office job can you not just find another part time role that you can fit in around your current job. Even 2 shifts a week at McDonald’s (or similar) on minimum wage would balance out what your having to pay back to Littlewoods and surely that would be better than dealing with the stress you are under right now. I also agree with others that maybe your children should be paying something for board even if only in the short term while you get out of the mess you have found yourself in.

Have you contacted Stepchange? There is also a board on money saving expert forums called debt free wannabe which you might find useful. This is fixable but you need to talk to someone to find out your best options. Contact Stepchange not the ones that advertise on Google. The debt free wannabe board usually advises defaulting on the debt (stop paying and they will eventually default you). Then set up a payment you can realistically afford (like £20 a month). Then make a final offer to settle the debt further down the line. The advantage of this is that the debt drops off your credit file six years after you default rather than six years after a debt management plan ends. However you have said that you want to pay it back (although I don't think you should feel bad about defaulting given the outrageous interest and penalties they have added to your debt). A debt relief order might also be appropriate. Whatever you do don't speak to commercial companies offering to clear debt. They are sharks.

They don't, and won't. Whoever is suggesting it doesn't know the system.

I didn't have a washing machine for the first 5 years of being a householder. I used a laundrette. I had clean clothes and didn't smell.

So your actual household income is:

Your £1000 ish
Dc1 £650
Dc2 £390

You spend all of yours and are left with nothing? DC are able to save?

You can't afford for them to not contribute. If they want to continue saving at the same rate they can work more hours.

where else could your adult working children live for £40 a week ?!!!

Exactly, OP you need to treat your adult children as exactly that......adults, why are you letting them pay practically nothing when you're struggling? You're not doing them a favour as they'll have a nasty shock when they enter the real world of rent and mortgages...

Whilst I agree they didn’t take on the debt. They are living with their mum and as adults should contribute to the household expenses

So I contacted the specialist department by email asking about a payment plan and that I no longer wished to use my account and remove the credit facility
A email back saying we have removed your credit facility but nothing about a payment plan
Just please if there's a balance continue to make payments
Rang the number and after 40 mins of music I hung up as I'm at work now
It's really stressful

Well reply to the email and say you’ve heard nothing about a payment plan. Call and keep calling, you can’t bury your head in the sand, that’s how you ended up here

It's SO frustrating trying to get through to people nowadays. Fingers crossed about a payment plan.

@Dreamingofthree responded to the email and it came back to my inbox saying that the mailbox doesn't accept mail and is not monitored -so I've had to go back to my account and message through that but got another ticket number

you need to call and call and call, and accept you’ll be on hold. It’s an utter pain but a necessary one

I used to work in debt recovery years ago.

I mean this in the nicest way possible but you don't appear to be able to address this on your own.

Contact stepchange or any other free money management advisory. I'm not in the UK so don't know who they are. Ask them to negotiate on your behalf.

You have a relatively small debt but with an extortionate interest rate which left unaddressed will spiral to unmanageable levels.

If I was acting on your behalf, I would be asking Littlewoods to take into account the significant stresses in your life at the time, caring responsibilities, moving house and bereavement. I would be asking for leanincy and the surplus interest to be waived due to the mitigating circumstances.

It's not unreasonable to think that if your circumstances hadn't been so stressful at the time, that you would have managed things differently.

I think going back to the initial debt is reasonable and accepting a payment plan is reasonable, given the fact you have closed your account, are taking responsibility for the debt, are a co-operating borrower and are proposing a meaningful reduction in the debt monthly.

You need to find someone with the experience to do this for you.

ThirtyThrillionThreeTrees
Good advice.
Problem Op may have with CAB and stepchange is her adult children not contributing, because IME the 1st thing they do is look at maximizing benefits and discounts - specifically Council Tax.
There may be different understanding/ attitude /system with CAP or other faith type based debt charities when looking for representation.

This is really good advice - if you can be as persistent as possible about getting the interest removed and arranging a manageable payment plan with them, explaining the difficulties of your situation with caring and bereavement I’m sure you can work something out. But you may need help implementing this plan of action

I commented earlier but you have not mentioned asking your DC to contribute
Please do so over the weekend
Be persistent with littlewoods

Just a update
Rang up the financial services department
Explained my situation and offered £140 a month
They refused
I said how much can you accept ?
They said we can't give you a figure
I said okay what about £150 ? A month
She said unfortunately as our system has rejected £140 we now can't change it
There's nothing we can do
You can pay £140 a month but it will be classed as un acceptable payment amount and we will add admin charges and late payments on
So I calmly said I'm willing to pay
Can you tell me the amount you will accept ?
She said no I can't
Sorry you can't make another offer now

Sorry you are still having such a nightmare trying to reach an agreement with Littlewoods. Please contact either Stepchange or CAP (Christians Against Poverty). They WILL help you xx

@MooseOnTour I'm not explaining myself again
As stated I'm looking for a new full time job
It's not a overnight thing
This month I can't pay my full payment
I won't have a new job and get back by 12 days time
Your unhelpful reply really isn't needed
Thanks