debt and student nurse, crippling me

[NorfolkEnchantsToday]

I am in such a mess with money.
I have around 5k debt. On over drafts, pay day loans and gas and electric arrears.
I was on a debt management plan but I can't keep up repayments.
I currently can't afford food for the week.

I'm a single parent to DD aged four
I'm a student nurse.
My childcare is 1k a month due to Monday-fri 7-7 as I can't ask my parents.

My rent is 300 a month
Fuel 40 a week
Childcare 1k a month

My income is:

Bursary 1,277 a month
Tax credits, 60 a week
Maintainence 50 a week
Child benefit 20 a week.

I work too about 8 hours a week. I'm killing myself doing all this.
I never see the money it goes straight out.
I can't speak to step change as I know they are fed up of me and my debt management plan.

I don't know what to do.
It's my fault I'm in this mess,'my ex left me pregnant with nothing and I just want a nice life and best for dd

I've contacted citizens advice but they are taking forever to get back to me.

I just do not know what to do

Childcare costs are deducted from housing benefit pound for pound , or at least when you receive ctc to pay for childcare they are. So yes really important you speak to HB.

Deducted from your applicable income I mean.

Call national debtline, they might help you negotiate a final pay agreement with your pay day loans. This must be the worst ones.

I'm sorry you're going thro this, is there any way you can ask friends and family to help with childcare?

seven this is the problem they say my student loan isn't applicable income and won't disregard my childcare

DONT TAKE A YEAR OUT! Nurses next year will no longer be entitled to NHS funding and will have to have normal student fee and maintenance loans. It won't apply to existing students but taking a year out might mean you come under the new rules when you go back

Do you know this as a fact? I DONT KNOW but I wouldn't be surprised if students who take a year out remain under their existing bursary conditions. I'm not saying this to be contrary as I really don't know but it would be a shame is the OP ruled out taking a year out on incorrect information. IYSWIM

I understand that taking a year out might not be the best option but I think It's important for the OP to look at all options.

Norfolk either your student bursary is applicable income and childcare should be deducted or it isn't and the whole lot should be deducted.
I would get some specialist advise regarding your childcare/HB.

I am feeling very proactive now!

Try this op
www.rightsnet.org.uk/Forums/viewthread/7234/#31611
It has links to housing benefit guidance for student parents and childcare.

Sorry specifically nursing students.

Thank u

Glad you're feeling a bit more optimistic Norfolk. It can all seem so bleak sometimes but there is a way through ⛅️

do you have a colleague/friend who works opposite hours from you who you
could swop childcare with? A friend did this. She was a care assistant 3 nights a
week and so Dc went to the colleague at night. Then when the colleague did the day shift my friend looked after the children then.
Would you have a spareroom to take in eg another s nurse as a lodger? Even if
you and Dc had to share a room for a year so what?
I am not sure how this would impact on Tax Credits etc however.

I heard Christians against poverty recommended on radio 4. Their advice is free, they will negotiate with creditors but also work out strategies to keep you out of debt. It was on you and yours last week. You don't need to be a Christian or interested in religion.

Suggestion

I know you have a child

However can you rent out a room or sofa where you live to another student
If you work days and they work nights you would not see each other

Sadly not my home is too small and I live around an hour from uni

Try to speak to student services at your uni again. How much was the grant they gave you? I'm a student mum with no childcare costs and I got over £2.5k for the year from my uni.

Also go back to Stepchange, or look for further advice from other debt charities like National Debtline. I found it made far more sense for me to go bankrupt than get into a debt management plan, it cleared the debt more quickly and the impact on credit ratings weren't important for me while I was a student as my income was too low for things like mortgages anyway.

I spoke to student advice today at uni just quickly and got another appointment on Friday.

It would seem my housing benefit is totally wrong, as is my student bursary.

I've applied to the NHS hardship fund too to tie me over whilst the other stuff is being sorted out. That should have a decision by Wednesday

Hope it works out for you.

Thank you

Hoping things work out for you and glad your feeling a bit better about things

What about joining a local Credit union? They help with small loans/
savings