to think that brown-envelope letters from the benefit/tax/DWP people

[HappySpills]

should come with a smiley/frowny/neutral face on the front, just so you know whether the thing you're about to open is likely to be a notification that you're getting some extra money (yay ), a statement of taxable income for the year (okay fine), or a sudden demand that you fill in a seventy page form about all your shortcomings, or that you're losing £35 a week, or something similarly unpleasant ()? I don't think I can cope with another Schrödinger's envelope on my doormat this week.

George Never thought of that. How thick am I......

Quick, GeorgeandMartha, tell the ESA assessors they have it all wrong and I don't need to be in the support group at all. And while you're at it, I probably don't need DLA, either.

George - do people earning their own money from self employment no longer have to pay (fear) the tax man and their miscalculations?!

Fucking hell, I've been doing it all wrong.

ODFOD.

I have severe anxiety relating to post. (Years post divorce dealing with XHs numerous debts.)

Do want to form a support group with me KingJoffrey?

I had a dispute with a neighbour running from 2004 to 2010. Boundary and access issues mainly. I used to dread coming home from work and trying to push open the door and feeling some resistance.

That meant there'd be huge bundle of threatening correspondence from her solicitors - including three court summonses over the years - waiting behind it.

They'd usually be waiting for us on Friday nights which would ruin the weekend.

We eventually won but it was expensive financially and emotionally.

After a couple of years trying to deal with it ourselves we took on a solicitor. He was great. Though he cost money, his advice was sound and he really didn't rip us off. Everything he charged for was justified. If there was something we could do ourselves he would tell us to do it. Angel.

The best thing at our first meeting was a feeling like when you're a child and your parents say: 'Don't worry. We'll make it okay.' He wasn't lying and didn't give us false hope. He just made an accurate assessment of what he could do and what we could expect - both good and bad, but in his opinion mostly good.

And I loved him for saying: 'I don't ever want you to worry about those Friday night bundles again. It's an old trick to demoralise you. I do it myself.'

George best also tell them there is now a cure for autism and I no longer need to claim carers allowance for my dd.

Well, here's hoping your job and relationship are 100% secure george, so that you never have to find out how it feels. (head tilt) Now are they now? 100%? Sure?

worra

Yanbu. I had two of those this morning... They're still unopened!

When I got one from ATOS, it was in a white envelope, most disconcerting.

I can do better than that UpOnDown. I got a cheque from ATOS for something like £2.80. It was to reimburse my travel expenses to their interview.

I have a brain tumour. I not only failed the interview. I failed to score a single point.

Or, you could earn your own money, so you aren't at the mercy of an envelope?

I have a permanent disability which means I cannot leave the house. Nothing a bit of sanctimonious patronising won't cure though I'm sure.

Earn your own money?? Ehh?? What it is you think we do when we go to work?? Or do you think everyone who receives tax credits sits on their bum's watching Jeremy Kyle while the benefits come rolling in?

I don't get working tax credits as my income is higher than the threshold but as I am a single parent paying for three children in childcare so I CAN CONTINUE to work I do get a little bit of child tax credit towards the cost of childcare.

Silly me for not having a partner to pay for everything whilst I get his shirts whiter than white and for having the audacity to EARN MY OWN money

George really? I mean really ?

Fear of the brown envelope cuts across all strata of society, clearly

I used to get the green and white stripeys from the council.

Terrifying.

What's worse is that everyone knew what they were.

Yes, I'd love to join a support group.

I've actually got a bit of an eBay/Amazon habit. I reckon I'm subconciously ensuring that I get some nice post!!

The carers allowance ones should come with a long white beard because they take so long to arrive.

Sometimes I wonder if student loans/ housing benefit/ HMRC get the same sinking feeling when they spot a second hand recorded delivery A4 brown envelope with messy handwriting drop through their door- "Oh God, is that another shambolic handful of evidence of income from stubborn again? Complete with covering letter outlining all our shortcomings? And the mardy cow's even sent it recorded delivery so we can't pretend we didn't get it! Damn". I so hope they do .

I love you just for using the word mardy in a post.

Although I'm not Northern, I'm an Arctic Monkeys fan .

Schrödinger's envelope

like it!

I get the collywobbles from HMRC envelopes.

Also should not be allowed to arrive on a Friday so that when u get home from work it's too late to ring anyone to sort out the inevitable mistake that's been made.

George, earning money doesn't mean that brown envelopes from HMRC or the like are never to be feared.

Sometimes mistakes are made. Like incorrectly giving out a tax rebate, and then demanding the money back when they notice their error. Or incorrect tax codes have meant that not enough tax has been deducted from salary, and HMRC want the rest of the tax now. After one or two of those, it's difficult not to feel a bit nervous about an unexpected letter from the taxman.

Not to mention that if you're on a low wage, you can still be eligible for things like working tax credits.

George so you wouldn't expect an absent parent to financially support their child then?

Housing benefit inevitably send letters on a Saturday so you stress all weekend about their mistake and then can't get through until almost close of business on Monday because everyone else is ringing them too.

Limitedso sorry

Hate them too! Yanbu

I shit myself when they arrive on my doormat