I literally can’t afford to live anymore.......

[Beaniebeemer]

Things have just gone to shit over the last year. My DP tried his hand at being self employed after being made redundant a year ago but he’s been ill recently (mental health, sectioned) and the business wasn’t viable so he’s unemployed now. I work part time earning about £800 a month. We have two children. A mortgage and a lot of debt. The house has about £100k equity but it’s tiny and we can’t downsize. I really don’t want to lose the house as the mortgage is cheap and rent would be so much more. We are in the universal credit system but I'm unsure what money we will get going forward. DP is getting ESA and he’s applied for PIP but I believe that takes ages. We probably need £2000 a month to survive 😢

To find out which debt solution is best for you, you need to do a detailed income / expenditure budget with a debt adviser. You need to know if you have any spare income after paying your priority bills to deal with the debt. First things first you need to maximise your income and sort out benefits etc so you know what you've got coming in. Also the government have just brought in a scheme called Breathing Space which comes into force in May which forces your creditors to put things on hold for a set period, longer if you have MH issues so you can sort things out. A debt adviser can refer you to this, info is on the gov.uk website too. Good luck.

I agree that it should be a last resort to sell the house after every other option has been exhausted but I disagree with all the posters saying that selling the house is a bad idea because you wouldn't be entitled to help. I'm sorry but if you have 100k sat in a savings account, why should you be entitled to help from the tax payer? One would hope that 100k is enough to clear all your debts and keep you living very comfortably for several years even if rent is more expensive because your debts should have been cleared and that buys you the time to sort your finances out to start again. Yes you might never get back on the property ladder but many people never get on it to start with and you are sitting on 100k to bail you out here if you absolutely have to. There are people in the same situation as you already in rented and they have no such luxury.

I’m so sorry you are going though this and take no notice of anyone says poor you because you own your own home . Iam in the same place as you I have hours cut so now part time but I am blessed I still have a job . I do own my house out right but I have have had a house since I was 18 I’m now 40 and getting mortgage free was a big deal to me . And I’m the same no way would I borrow anymore money against my house . It’s my boys when I’m no longer around.
But I have been silly and got my self some unneeded debt ( wish I saw what was coming) but I’m looking into do the consolidation debt but I’m not sure .
I did have a good clear out of all or stuff and made some money that way and I paid it straight off some high bills . I also phoned , next , look again and explained to them I’m struggling and they have set me up a payment plan and I can not buy anything and put on credit with them and that’s fine with me .
I did see someone had put about PIP payment please try with that and if you get turned down try again . I completely understand what you are going though.
I did phone Skye to cancel and managed to get myself locked into a 18 month contract and mine was up and Disney + added on . Still not sure how I did that but at the moment it’s cheaper think £103 a month to £65 or around about there and I changed my internet from them to plusnet £18 month plus £50 credit you can use in all sorts of shops .
Good luck

I’m desperately trying to find DP a full time job as I believe that’s the solution. I may be able to do a few more hours but not anything massively significanT

Why are you trying to find your dp work? Why can’t you start “desparately” looking for ft work?

When we were in a similar situation dh and I both started looking for ft work immediately. I found ft work first.

I don’t get why the responsibility to work ft is exclusively falling on your dp. What’s stopping you?

Hi OP

Please don't sell your house. Long term you need it as eventually one day the mortgage will be paid off.

It's your debt that is the biggest outgoing.

There is a new government initiative called Breathing space. Look it up. There are 2 versions of it and it will give you time to find a solution.

Also agree with others have said. Either you need to work more hours or DH needs to if possible.

@Beaniebeemer

No pets

He can look for his own job but I’m better at writing up applications.

We have cut everything. School is too far away to walk and I don’t work standard hours.

Step change just told me to sell the house!

@Beaniebeemer I just came across your thread. How are you doing now?