Debt making me suicidal.

[TheQueenOfWands]

I have a debt collector chasing me for over £5K for a Tax Credit 'overpayment'.

I'm scared. I'm upset. Thinking about it is causing panic attacks.

I have no money. Maybe about a tenner to get me through until next payday. I work for NMW and things are tight.

I earn about £270 a week and with mortgage, bills and a growing teenager it's just not stretching.

I have a cloud of dread hanging over me all of the time.

What can I do? I can't end it all and leave my son, the thought breaks my heart despite it feeling like the only solution.

I don't even have the money for a phone call to speak to them. They'll stick to a script and waffle on and it'll run into £££.

What if I wrote them a letter? Would they even read it?

I'm so, so scared.

Please ring, just once. Say you are suicidal and you would like them to stop the Dect Collection company contacting you. They will do it.
Once the debt is back with HMRC they will take your income into account when discussing ability to repay.

I don't have the money for a call not a penny. Do you think they have online chat?

Ring them op. They are actually easier to deal with than HMRC!! Make them an offer of what you can afford. For example I owed 2 grand and pay £15 a month. They had overpaid me for ds childcare when he was in reception. Denied receipt of letter and calls I made to them. Anyway, they accepted my offer and all is well. Write if you prefer making your offer. They aren't expecting you to sell a kidney to pay them op.

Okay.

I have googled a draft letter.

Should I tell them how I feel? I am being treated for severe depression but I don't want to 'milk it'.

I already work 36 hours and there's not much scope to pick up more shifts.

OP, please, if you can't face dealing with them yourself contact your local CAB for assistance. You should be able to contact CAB online without having to spend money on a phone call and they will help you. There is a way out of this for you, and it is NOT suicide.

Do I write to HMRC? Or the debt collectors?

Or both?

Tell them you are on medication if that's the truth, I rang them and told them dh had spent all our savings and I had thrown him out and filed for divorce!!.. Keep a copy of the letter but don't send it recorded or it may not reach the right department (I was advised) Honestly op they can't hurt you - as much as it feels like you are being hounded, I felt like you. When you send that you will feel relief you have regained control. Good luck.

I saw on BBC a few weeks ago, a national charity specialised on debt management, Stepchange waa recommended.
I also know Turn To Us helping women in debt situations with up to date advice and help.

m.stepchange.org/how-we-can-help-you/debt-advice

www.turn2us.org.uk/Other-help/Debt

I am sure they will be able to give the most accurate and helpful advice. Please call them OP.

Just write to the debt people, it's out of HMRC hands now. If you don't agree you owe the money - you didn't say - then you can refer it back to HMRC for appeal /

Write to HMRC. Definitely tell them how you feel

There's a really good Facebook page called Beat the Bailiffs and the Banks. They can help with things like this. Don't worry OP, they can't take what you haven't got. It will get better for you. Take care

I have no idea if I owe the money or not and I don't really have the strength to fight or question it.

Taken my anxiety meds now, had a cup of tea and DS has put on The IT Crowd. Was pretty thrown to wake up (work nights) and have that letter.

It's not the first. It's the 'Final Demand'. But I'd been chucking the letters away unopened because they scare me. Might actually be why I've been having more panic attacks lately. I'm a fucking dick.

My ExH got me in debt and I have a great fear of the post.

I'm going to write to them, explain everything and offer up a tenner a month. It's really all I can afford right now.

Once it's been passed to debt management HMRC won't discuss it unless you dispute it and can get it passed back. They are easy to talk to, they don't want to stress you further, they can't make you agree to pay what you can't afford.

That’s fine, do that. But I’d speak to stepchsnge and citizens advice for support - they have seen all this before and will help you! If it were me I’d contact them first as they may write to the debt collector on your behalf

Please don't panic, I've had this a few times and each time I've been allowed to set up a weekly payment, my past one was for £2.50. is this something you can do? Just ask to start payments after you've been paid so you know where you are with money. I rang them and they did it on the phone there and then, but writing to them or trying to find an email address online and maybe suggesting they call you or write to you.

These aren't baliffs either, they have their own debt collection team, they don't visit your property etc. As long as you don't ignore them and you offer a payment I can't see you having any problems sorting this.

I'm feeling batter already.

I'll write a nice letter tomorrow while I'm alone. I've googled some drafts and I'll explain the whole situation.

Should I include an ingoing/outgoing thingy? Or wait and serif they send me one?

Yes include that but to be honest they are pretty great about it, they never asked me to prove anything and just accepted my offer of what I could afford. Honestly this isn't a big deal, I can see why it scared you as there's no knowing unless you've dealt with it before. But it's common for loads of claimants to owe money, I'm self employed so I often owe money. A couple of times I didn't understand the process initially and that's why it went to collectors. But after that initial conversation with them I've never herd from them since and the money comes out by standing order :)

Get yourself down to your local CAB. They will be able to work out with you what is affordable.

You said that your ex got you into debt. Was he borrowing money in your name? Fraudulently? Being financially abusive?

I’m glad you are sounding a bit brighter about things. My do worked for a debt collection company and things have changed a lot in recent years.
You absolutely should mention your depression and how you are feeling as some companies have special departments for vulnerable people.
As previous posters have said you can set up payments of very small amounts and I think you will feel much less anxious once you know where you stand.
I would also write in your letter that you are not sure you owe the debt as if, when you are feeling stronger you want to challenge it then I would think it would be useful to have on record that you aren’t sure you owe it.
All the best op x

As someone mentioned above please contact Stepchange. They can contact the debt collectors for you and offer a monthly payment you can afford and you won't have to speak to them (debt collectors) at all.

Do not use stepchange!!! They will encourage you into paying back unlawful charges and maybe even bankruptcy!!!

Go to Facebook, check out beat the Baliffs and Banks!!!!! They can help like no one else!

There is a HUGE amount of misconceptions on this topic and the admins in that group really know their stuff.

Avoid all debt help companies, these are owned/supported by the people who charge us illegal charges.