Not enough money to pay rent/bills

[Grimlin]

I'm a single mum and on benefits following redundancy. I receive child tax credits, child benefit, housing benefit and income support. I have dd coming out around the 1st and not enough money to cover them. My main worry is my rent as I figured I could cancel dd for other things if needed. My little boy is 14 months old. We have plenty of food, milk, nappies, wipes etc so not worried about that side of things. I applied for a few payday loans but was refused. I do not have anyone I can ask to lend me money. What should I do?

Have a look at the money saving website for further advice.

www.moneysavingexpert.com/

Can you sell old toys/clothing & baby equipment to raise a bit of cash?

Are you receiving child maintence from your baby's dad?

Have you considered working from home? To boost what benefits you already have coming in?

NEVER go to a payday loan company, EVER. Seriously, there is no debt in the world, short of a man with a gun, worth going to a payday loan company for.

Unless you have a very good relationship with your landlord (ie it's your mother/brother/uncle Goober) then always pay your rent first, provided you have food for DC. But even this is flexible in extreme hardship circumstances, as the law still protects you if you can't pay your rent. But you don't want to go there.

Go to CAB or phone National Debtline. National Debtline will help you and you can remain completely anonymous if you wish. They will set up a case file just with a case number, and take your details, expenditure, etc, without taking your name etc. Get professional help. It is very easy. They are very good, and you are not in any way in the wrong for finding yourself in trouble here. You will find that speaking with a professional sooner rather than later will lift a world of stress off your shoulders, and leave you freer to concentrate on other things like finding ways of bringing in more money.

Get some professional advice immediately. What worries me is if you default on payments this could go against you when you try and move to a cheaper flat.

You don't mention whether your child's father pays - any chance he could cough up something now?

Are you sure you'd be low priority for council housing? Even if you are, you might be easier to place than a family with 3-4 kids.