That is must be possible to survive on my low income?

[notabee]

My total income is under £13k (work pt, can't work more due to not great health, plus tax credits etc)
I own my house with a mortgage (about £6k a year) and I have dc but no partner.
There must be a way?
I feel I must be missing something.
I spoke to the cab last year and they didn't think there was any other help.
Every month and getting more and more in debt but I really do try and spend the minimum possible.
How do you get by?
Do you think I should get by?
Aibtu?

[SilenceOfThePrams]

If you get the sole adult discount on council tax then you'd lose that if you got a lodger. You'd also have to pay tax on anything you charged them over the £45/week you can claim under the rent a room scheme. So you'd probably not be any better off.

[EmeraldIsle100]

OP please believe you are not alone even though you are in a lonely place right now. I absolutely urge you to go to see Citizens Advice and tell them everything you told us. Dont put it off please please go!

I have been where you are and Citizens Advice have heard it all before and know the answers.

I can tick the box for all your issues including the social services problem with DD box. Obviously I have no idea about the social services issue you are facing but I had problems involving DD and social services and got help from Citizens Advice.

You were brave to post and I wish you all the best.

[harshbuttrue1980]

You aren't spending extravagantly, you just need more money coming in. This could come from a lodger, you upping your hours (even if its by taking on a second, less physically demanding job like taking in ironing for example) or getting disability benefits if you are really unable to do any more work, or your oldest child getting a job and chipping in. There are three of you in the house, one in education so that's fine, one working a few hours a week, and the other not working at all. That's where the problem lies.

[Nightmanagerfan]

Just to say the rent a room scheme is now tax free up to £7500 a year.

www.gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-home/the-rent-a-room-scheme

[mumstaxi2]

OP - I would really recommend contacting a debt advice charity called StepChange. In my work I have found them to be really helpful at coming up with solutions for people with various levels of debt. It is a free service and in my experience totally unjudgemental.
Unfortunately I can't paste a link from my phone but if you google step change you will be able to see their website.

[0live]

www.stepchange.org/

[annielouise]

Karma - Felicia is right. If she goes to a mortgage broker every other lender than her current one will look at affordability. On paper they might not think she can afford it. By at least checking with her current lender the process could be simpler. With mine we did it over the phone. I didn't need to show pay slips, bank statements etc. There was also no fee or new valuation as it had been valued within the past three years.

Better to first go to her current lender. There's no reason for them to think she can't afford it. And what would they do if they thought that? Force her to sell? I don't think so. She's been paying and hasn't defaulted.

[annielouise]

In my situation there were rates that were 0.3% cheaper than the one I got but by the time I factored in the fee, which was up to £1.5k, other fees like another valuation, a solicitor I think, money transfer fees, an exit fee from my current lender to send the deeds on, it was not worth the hassle and I would only have saved about £10 a month. For the ease I went with my current lender. In fact about a month after I set it up before it had started though the current lender dropped it's rates and gave me the 0.1% cheaper rate when I phoned up, all sorted within a day.

Let us know how you get on notabee. Good luck.

[Dragongirl10]

Op..l think you should not sell as you need security for later, you may not be able to work and do not want to have to keep moving with health issues.
Also at some point the Dcs( or one) will move out and you can get a lodger...this would change everything, noticeable extra funds for doing nothing.

I would insist on sharing with Dc and getting the lodger until debt is cleared and small emergency fund established...what if boiler breaks?

Each having a room is a luxury you can ill afford.

Personally l would expect 17 yr old to do a Saturday job and chores to be split larely between Dcs, so you can take care of yourself as the only earner.

Whet about physically easy jobs like self employed proofreader/computer based business/basic bookkeeping...

good luck