Help I’m a failure

[Stressedidiot]

Essentially I’m an idiot but also now a really stressed one so please be kind!
I have been on a DMP for the last two years. I’m a month and a bit away from completing it. Never missed a payment towards it. Was feeling happy and had learnt my lesson until 3 months ago my DH lost his job due to company closure.
Since then I’ve been the sole earner (he now has a new job but won’t get a full months pay for a few weeks).
Stupidly in that time I’ve wracked up more debt, partly due to desperation of not being able to juggle everything and burying my head in the sand about our crap situation.
Ive now finally sat down and reviewed my finances and feel sick. My debt repayments are around £800 this month which isn’t sustainable and quite frankly ridiculous (my fault I know).
One of the terms of my DMP was not to take out any more debt…I know, I know.
However, will my DMP allow me to add on the new debts or have I totally screwed myself?
I realise this situation is entirely of my own making and whilst I could afford the £800 repayments it leaves me very little left which puts me back in the same situation.
I feel like such a failure having come so far only for it to all fall apart now. I was so looking forward to heading into 2026 debt free but it seems that certainly isn’t going to happen.
Has anyone else ever been as stupid as me and what was the outcome? Were you able to add debts to a DMP?

They’ll likely cancel your DMP because has you’ve said you are not allowed to take out extra debt whilst under a DMP. But you really need to speak to them.

Speak to an advice charity such as Step Change or National Debtline.

Yes speak to them but it may not be possible. What did you spend the money on to get into more debt?

That was my thinking. I suspect they may cancel it too.
General living costs, nothing else. We need two salaries to survive. I’ve cut everything that isn’t essential already.

Now your DH has a job will you have enough to pay the bills with the extra debt payments or will you be short on the essentials?

It will be a stretch still for the first few months but may ease over time. I’m not sure whether to just grin and bear the high repayments but if anything else happens in the meantime I’d worry

If you only have a month and a half left on the debt repayment plan I’d be tempted to try to last it out - can dh ask for an advance from his employer, can you borrow from family, any other alternatives?

I think that you can sort this, if you really really want to but it will be hard.

Start by going through everything in the house and put anything which you no longer use onto Vinted.

Go through all of your food and make an absolute minimum spend menu. Look round the house for any cash change to buy bread/milk etc. Either get a food bank referral or go to a larder to get some free bits. Eat stuff out the freezer and the cupboard, random combinations etc - basically try and not spend anything.

Anything which you can pause or cancel - eg Netflix etc - do that.

Focus on not buying more stuff - make your shampoo, conditioner, shower gel etc last - and make do with anything which you run out of.

You’ll be amazed how much you can save.

You probably need professional advice, but the information provided doesn’t give us much to go on.

Of the £800 you need to find this month, how much is towards the DMP, and how much new borrowing? How much do you owe (DMP and additional borrowing) and at what interest rates? What are your incomings and outgoings? Do you rent or pay a mortgage? Have you really pared down your outgoings, or could more be done? What will the picture be like “in a month and a bit” when the DMP ends?

Edited to add: you are not a failure. You are struggling, and seeking help indicates you have every chance of not becoming a “failure”. You can sort this out.