Friend in financial hardship

[Rosie5060]

Hi all, I’m looking for advice on how to help my friend who is going through a really hard time financially following the pandemic.

My friend and her partner had second child in March, her partner is self employed and hasn’t had work for 3 months now. Her maternity pay is the minimum as she only worked part time.

They are now 3 months behind on rent, council tax, bills and have used store cards to buy baby items as they are cash short. Mounting to a few thousand pounds worth of debt.

There is another side to this - my friend isn’t particularly good with money. If she wants something she will get it even if she can’t afford it, on store card or finance for example. So on the outside they appear to be ok.

I really want to help especially as they have a new baby and would really hate to see them go without. But would my efforts help if they have bad spending habits? How can I help in a constructive way? It seems to be a constant cycle of them always being skint.

I hope that your friends being 3 months behind on their rent and council tax and their many debts and resultant stress do not impact upon or affect their children. Debt can spiral out of control at terrifying speed with disastrous implications for whole families.

Any financial input from you will make the situation worse.
They need to sign onto UC and seek debt advise.
They need to get out of this shit themselves.
£150 trainers ffs

If they are skint but still making impulsive spends and have debt then any help you offer will soon disappear. If he has not worked in 3 months he has had ample time to file a tax return. Make positive suggestions - UC, Stepchange, CAB, speak to Council tax, alternative work (driving for supermarket deliveries for example) etc - but only in so far as it gives them opportunities to help themselves and budget more efficiently. If you get overly involved it will sap your patience and the friendship will disintegrate.

I think she will be open to advice but following up and putting it in place really is on her shoulders. I’ll just have to sit back and hope they can see sense.