Please help, I have no idea what to do

[Purpledahlia88]

I'm in a nightmare situation and I just don't know what to do. Not sure if this should be posted here or in the benefits section but will try here first.

I am sitting at work literally trying not to cry about the stress of it. I am a single parent to a 6 year old, and I work full time. I earn "too much" to get any help (actually, I'm lying, I get about £5 a fortnight housing benefit). I'm paying nearly £300 a month for childcare (I don't get helpw ith this as I'm not using a registered childcare provider, as they all close at 6 and I don't get back in the evenings until 7pm), and £250 on travel, an hour each way every day. The rest goes on my rent, bills, etc and there is NOTHING left. NOTHING.

I barely see my child, I am absolutely exhausted, and despite leaving the house at 7am and returning at 7pm, I have nothing to show for it. I have nothing left in my account almost, and I have direct debits going out next week, I won't even be able to afford to GET to work, and pay childcare, let alone for food.

I can't continue working here obviously, but I am terrified that if i quit I will be told I can't claim JSA as I made myself jobless. I don't want to be on JSA for long, but I need a few weeks or months to find something else that is suitale in terms of location and hours, and as i said upthread, I literally can't afford to get to work next week so I don't see any other option.

Going part-time isn't possible. What can I do? I have already upped my overdraft, so I am currently getting in debt just to turn up at work. I have stopped all outgoings that I possibly can, I am somehow feeding me and my child for £15 a week. I just can't do it anymore, I feel so stuck and overwhelmed and frightened of what's to come.

PLEASE any advice would be appreciated, so so worried.

I am terrified that if i quit I will be told I can't claim JSA as I made myself jobless.

That's a possibility, unfortunately- there is a sanction of up to 26 weeks for giving up work. Some people get away with it, but I'd want to be prepared incase it did happen .

What are the DDs for next week? Anything that isn't rent or council tax can be cancelled, if you need to, getting to work is priority. It's probably worth talking things over with Stepchange, who will advise you of the best way to lower your outgoings. That might well include not completely servicing debts for a while. They may even advise arranging a lower payment for CT for a while.

I don't believe you can get Income Support if your child is over 5, but it's probably worth checking that just incase.

It is a bit of a trap. I hope things get easier. I'd definitely ring or livechat with Stepchange today, if you can. I think they are open quite late.

Have a look here: gingerbread.org.uk
I know it's really hard, hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along.

The DDs are for my water bill, TV licence and broadband. I don't think I can cancel my broadband as its an 18 month contract, and to end it early i would need to pay a fee which I can't afford.

What a horrible situation. Are there no childminders who work until 7 pm?

Whereabouts are you?

Ok you can get through this. Ring up water company and ask to be put through to their team that deal with setting up reduced payment plans. It is possible to temporarily just pay a token amount even as little as £1 per month to keep your water ticking over while you get yourself sorted, they won't cut you off. Call Stepchange they are fantastic and will help you.

As far as your job is concerned I would try if you can to remain employed while you look for something else part time to reduce childcare and travel costs. It's always easier to get another job if you are already working as that's more attractive to potential employers. Good luck OP x

Ok you can get through this. Ring up water company and ask to be put through to their team that deal with setting up reduced payment plans. It is possible to temporarily just pay a token amount even as little as £1 per month to keep your water ticking over while you get yourself sorted, they won't cut you off. Call Stepchange they are fantastic and will help you.

As far as your job is concerned I would try if you can to remain employed while you look for something else part time to reduce childcare and travel costs. It's always easier to get another job if you are already working as that's more attractive to potential employers. Good luck OP x

Can you use official childcare til six and arrange a babysitter to do the pick up and bring home/bath/bed part.

What do you do? With a long and expensive commute like that, can you ask your company if you can work from home a couple of days a week? That might reduce your travel costs as well as some of your stress?

I recommend that you also post this on the moneysavingexpert forums, they usually have good advice.

You should talk to a couple of the companies the DDs are for, see if they can give you some time to pay, or put you on a reduced plan / package. If there are any debt payments you have, you can write to them and advise that you need to pay them token payments (small payments, like £5 a month) until your financial situation is clearer.

Is there no one who can help you, like friends or family? I know sometimes it's hard to ask for help, but people are often a bit more willing to help than you realise.

wishing you all the best of luck!

Who are you paying for childcare?

Thank you everyone some good suggestions, I have justmanaged to cancel my broadband package, with a small cancellation fee but it was less than what I may monthly so I am happy with that, I have pushed my TV licence back til after payday.

I will definitely call the water company about reduced payment plans, I had no idea it was even an option.

I do office work in central London, and I live in Essex. At the moment I am paying one of the school mums to have my son from after school until I get back, and she gives him dinner. I only pay her £10 a day for this (the additional cost is for breakfast club) so even if she got him from 6, I can't imagine being able to pay her less than that, and also asking her to go out that late with her child. It wouldn't be fair.

I am feeling slightly more positive and I am just going to have to spend every spare moment looking for something else.

Are you able to claim CSA?

Does your company have offices closer to home, could you ask for a transfer?

Unfortunately I can't transfer, I work in the head office and I need to be here, I can't work from home due to the nature of the job.

Thansk Unlockable for pointing that out, will cancel with my bank as well as the companies.

How approachable is your employer and have you worked there long? Sorry you're going through so much stress