I need advice - im really desperate!

[worriedstressed]

My dp only has a small amount of money left over after he has paid all the bills and last month his bank called him up on the phone and told him he was about to go overdrawn and dp has no overdraft facility they then sent him a letter saying the same and charged him for both the phone call and the letter - which did send him overdrawn and so this month they have taken all his spare money on charges we cant go food shopping now and we have 3 small children! someone told me that if i go to my local dss they have an emergency 'loan' they can help you with but nobody else has heard of it, does anyone on here know about anything like that or similar? we dont have any family that we can ask, and although we are trying to get back our bank charges - this could take some time! - ANY advice would be appreciated x

i think you can go to dss and apply for crisis loan, i would change bank account pronto with one that has a small overdraft incase it happens again, bank charges are now being dropped to £12 in light of recent cases, i'm absolutely shocked that they charged for the call and letter!

I know kidstrack we are so angry, but apparently there isnt anything we can do now. I will try and find out more about this crisis loan thanku!

hope it all works out! x

don't know about "loans" BUT speak to your bank as you are bettre making them aware of the whole situtaion.

As long as banks are aware of your financial situation they are usually then willing to help you further. This may mean reversing charges or coming to some agreement about paying back the over drawn amount.

The fact is that if you don't make them aware they will never know and won't be able to help you in the future. Good luck x

speak to the bank, explain the situation and ask for the money to be transferred back into account immediately. I normally find with the bank that if you play the 'I am so sorry, totally an oversight on our part, we will keep a closer eye on things in future' then they are normally quite good (well the natwest are anyway).
You can go to dss and ask for an emergency payment, which is normally about £25 to pay for food, nappies etc. This does not have to be paid back if you are claiming benefits, not sure if you are working

will you be able to use child benefit or tax credits to tide you iver

sorry they charged him before he was overdrawn???

That is unbelivable

I was in a similar situation in the winter, my wages were used up and my heating broke down and I had no hot water. I Went for a crisis loan although I do work full-timeI had no way of paying someone to come out and me and my daughter were freezing, I had to go into my local job centre and use the phone in there and explained and they refused me on the ground that was something they did not pay for . I re-applied for it again over the phone this time explaining I would therefore have to use all my food money for someone to fix it so therefore needed food money and it was accepted as this is something they cannot refuse especially with children involved. I asked for £100.00 for two weeks and they paid me £70.00 which they said would be sufficent for two weeks. It took about three days and I had to collect a giro payment which took a whole day of waiting in their offices for though.
These emergency payments are for anyone in crisis so don't let them try and tell you its just for the unemployed and they need you to provide a ministatment from your bank account which is dated that day and it had to be faxed through by by local DSS office as proof and I had to declare my child benefit payment that I get of £17.45 a week.

sorry meant to say my boiler broke down so also no cooking facilities, so they are very strict with what they will and won't give you money for and I was very shocked that they would not help for heating /hot water/ or cooking facility especially with children, also they deduct it back of your NI no, through your salary weekly so it may be best if your husband apply for it

Bastards - the less you have the meaner they are
When I was struggling single parent they charged me for every minor misdemeanour
Now we're "well off" if by chance we are going to go over, the bank ring us and tell us so we can remedy it first
FFS
Put some serious pressure on your bank, if this is not a regular habit of yours then you should be able to get the charges reversed but do amke an appt face to face
And btw I hope it's not Lloyds cos they are truly evil like this.