I've reached my breaking point

[Debtshame]

Ex husband left me at the end of last year, he's eloped to somewhere abroad but thats a whole other thread 🙈

I am struggling to make my mortgage repayments after childcare, even with universal credit and DLA I always seem to have too much month and not enough money

My car, which I had on finance (wouldn't make that mistake again) was taken last week and I had a bailiff visit for unpaid council tax from 2013 last week- he came into my home without permission and listed the television and tumble dryer as controlled goods agreement (despite getting the tumble dryer via the family fund )

I am on my knees financially and don't know where to go for help, I'm at risk of losing the house, and my job is in financial services so potentially my job as well

I am suffering from stress related alopecia now and barely eating or sleeping because I live in fear of the next nock at the door, today I recieved an email from the same bailiffs who are recovering the council tax with regards to an unpaid parking ticket and this feels like the final straw

Thankyou for reading

Can you downsize?

Have you had a benefit check to see if you are claiming everything you are entitled to?

Have you spoken to a debt organisation like stepchange for advice?

have you spoken to Stepchange? You don't even need to speak to them you do a budget and get a DMP in place online.

https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en

Use this website to find details of your nearest free debt advice charity.

Contact your mortgage provider and see what they can do to help. Ditto the council. Contact CAB they should be able to help further.

Can you pay the Council Tax, maybe ask parents or in-laws to help? Sounds like ex DH left around Xmas so it must only be a few months to pay rather than £1,000's?

If you put up a post of all your income and expenditure we can maybe help you cut down on non-essentials?

I would love to downsize but we are in a 2 bedroom house currently

I've spoken with the council and been told that nothing they can do as has been passed to the debt collectors who are bullies in my opinion

I will check out stepchange, I'm just unsure as what to do moving forward as I can't get to the office without a car and ditto dropping my children off as they are all at 3 different schools/childminder (a neighbour has kindly dropped my youngest off this week as I said my car was being repaired)

Oh, and stop answering your door to people you don't know!

I am doing this from now on! Can't believe I was so silly so to let them in 😢

Are you able to write down what you have coming in? I just want to see if you're claiming all you're entitled to, I used to work for an organisation who helped people maximise their income.

@Debtshame This may not be popular with other posters, but please check out a Facebook group called Beat the Bailiffs. There is apparently a way to force the council to take back the debt. Please go over there, explain what you have here, and I'm sure someone will offer to help you. They are a very knowledgeable lot.

Best of luck. 💐

Wages - £1600
UC - 1200
Dla x 2 one high rate care, one high rate care with low mobility
Child benefit - £208

Mortgage is 1300
Childcare is 1600

How much is the DLA?

900 odd pounds

Can you contact your mortgage company and go to interest only?

Really sorry you're going through this OP. I'm not surprised you're stressed! Does your husband pay any child support?

You just don't have enough money. Is it worth trying to keep the house?

So you have £3900 coming in and your mortgage and childcare is £2900? That leaves £1000 for everything else?

No maintenance and I don't know where we would live if we lost the house , I'm so upset with myself for getting in this situation but I honestly can't see a way out at the moment x

Mortgage is due to increase again shortly, my food shopping is approximately £500 per month including nappies/cleaning products and the rest I pay minimal payments on my credit card etc

I have no experience in this, so please correct me, but surely ex husband is legally required to pay child support for his kids?!

The problem is once they’ve been inside, they can force entry on subsequent visits (only for the same debt though).

At the end of the day they’re not bullies - they’re just doing their job and will have been sent by the court. They don’t just do it as a hobby.

I hope you can get some help with your debt soon.

Yes that's correct, except he's gone abroad and I have no clue where!

Contact your council and ask for a list of local food pantries. Round here you can pay 7.50 and get 35 quid worth of food and at other food pantries nearby it's 3.50 to fill a bag.

If the first person you speak to at the council doesn't know who can get you the list, ask to speak to whoever was in charge of the team administering the household support fund.

Thanks, there is one ran near enough on my doorstep but it's during the day when I'm working (I mostly WFH but have to go in to the office twice a week)

I will contact them to find out if there are any others!

I would also tell them your situation and see if they can come up with ideas for drop off/collection on another day of there's nowhere else close to you.