unpaid wages....head spinning, any advice?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

I have tried to google and as I am on my phone Im not getting anywhere. Would be glad of some advice.

DP started a new job on 30th july. He didnt have to work a lying week. So first weeks pay went in on the thurs and cleared ok.

Second weeks pay went in but didnt clear. Boss's account and DPs account are both with same bank. At first we thought it was an error at our end and the branch confirmed that they think it was too. That money still hasnt cleared and now isnt even a ledger balance.

Third weeks pay was meant to be in cash due to second weeks problem. But cash never appeared. Its not only DP who hasnt got paid and the rest of the workers said they werent working for no money. The day after they all downed tools (even the boss's own son is included) a bank transfer appeared as a ledger in DPs account. This was £60 short of what he should have been paid. This didnt clear either.

He was told firstly that it was a bank error. Then that the boss had had a breakdown. Then that he should sign on for six weeks but that he would still have a job at the end of that. Then that they would have to go down to a three day week.

Now the boss and his wife are completely unreachable. Phones are off. Place of work is closed (even though other worker was told to come in today )

DP is going to a solicitor today. But realistically where do we stand? We are literally penniless. The stress is unbelievable. Im due in ten weeks and no idea how we are going to feed ourselves never mind afford all the baby things. I know thats neither here nor there but I am completely panicking.

My feeling is that they are going bust. But then why be taking on new staff so recent? They have more than just this business and are quite well off.

Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks

Anyone?

What a horrible situation. It does sound like the company has gone under and they don't have the cash to pay anyone. I have a horrible feeling that you won't be able to claw the money back but I'm sure someone with better knowledge than me will be along soon.

I'm so sorry that you're in that situation.

First of all contact all companies you have bills to pay with and then contact cab for advice. Was the company a sole trader or ltd company? You need to try and find out if the company has been wound up or if the owner if sole trader has been made bankrupt. The cab will be able to help you with this and the liquidators should be able to help with getting your dh wages. Wrt redundancy pay from the gvt, unfortunately he hasn't been working there long enough. Did he have a contract that was signed etc? He also needs to go into the job centre and explain your situation.

I'm not an expert but work in debt recovery and if someone told me this is the reason they can't pay this is what I would suggest.

Get onto ACAS - dp worked via an agency recently who went bust in between receiving his wages and paying him (not the only unpaid month we've had lately and I'm also pg so understand the pressure!!) and ACAS have been brilliant even though there's not much hope of seeing the actual cash in our case.

In the meantime, contact all utility companies etc and explain, in brief, and try to defer payments. Don't be shy of asking family to help - even if they get bogof in the supermarket and give you the free one! Make a list of essential baby stuff and suggest items from it to close friends and family; many people will be glad to get you something useful instead of the obligatory cutesy outfit!

Have you got anything you can sell to get money now? That's my biggest problem - i can sort things out and manage medium/long term but that doesn't put food on the table tonight.

We are luckyish in that the only bills we have are the rent, one loan and car insurance (tv licence not due to next month).

Landlords arent happy but are understanding. Bank have already sorted out the loan payment as an apology for the original error with the cheque and mt CB will cover the car insurance.

Its a ltd company. They were still receiving delivery of materials up until tuesday. It appears that the boss's wife didnt have a clue anything was wrong. Its only been yesterday and today that they are unreachable. Would liquidators be in that soon?

If its a ltd company is the owners own money protected? Hes a millionaire.

We have been to jobcentre and DP has to sign tomorrow but it will be next week before we get any money. Thats the worst part really. DP is going crazy with no job. Hes been looking for something else but there just isnt anything available.

Thanks for your replies.

Nothing left to sell Purple :( we already sold everything a few months ago to scrape by. Not our first unpaid month either.

We only have DPs family and they are already buying a good lot of stuff. I dont even have any stuff from DD being a baby as my ex mil took it all back.

We have enough food for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. DP was doing pizza deliverys to get a bit of money but that guy screwed us over. I swear I just wanna curl up and cry!

I got a load of nb size prefold nappies and wraps, could easily spare you a few - I've got 4 weeks longer to go than you and am (hopefully) out the other side of the nightmare. Pm me your address.

Beg and borrow a tenner then shop wisely. Use up reward and clubcard points, and go in the evening to get reductions. Don't be about asking for small things, we've all been there. Any one that doesn't understand is a cunt not worth knowing.

We can do this.

Unfortunately yes he is personally protected as its ltd. :(

:( thought so hugandroll

Purple thanks for the offer (tears are starting at your lovliness) but when DD was born she couldnt fit a leg into newborn size anything and this baby is on the same growth curve. I give birth to monsters :o . But again thank you so so so much!xx

The solicitor has contacted boss's wife. She says she will be paying everyone this afternoon. (No one is convinced.) The solicitor is taking action if nothing happens by 1pm tomorrow.

Dont know what this action involves as DP is in a tizz and even getting that much out of him was hard.

One of the other workers has a four week old baby. :( there really is always someone worse off!

I have multiple sizes, and baby was measuring 50-somethingth centile at 20 weeks. Would 8-15lb Cotton Bottoms be any good? Think I've got 8 in total, plus 35 big prefolds (and a similar number of smaller prefolds) I could send you 3 wraps and 10 nappies to start you off? I've got 2 4-10lb and 11 7-11lb wraps so it's hardly going to leave me short!

It's one less thing to worry about, and one less straw breaking the camel's back. I know just how useful that can be.