Re: Am I right

Hi Mollie sorry about your partner. I can see you have been in a similar situation but at the moment things are like this... my mortgage is paid by a insurance but that will run out in about 7-8 months.... my mortgage council tax fuel water is £750 a month when working the NMW is just over a £1000 a month BEFORE tax I have not included food, debts, car upkeep phone, insurance, pension payments. I used to bring home £1500 a month so you can see getting a NMW job is not really a option unless i want to commit financial suicide ...I think the government just are not interested in looking at the bigger picture .....If i lose my house they will have to re-home me ...pay me housing benefits, tax credits ect ect ...wouldn't it better to help me with my housing and living costs now let me get off the dole than pay out for benefits later ....

Re: Am I right

Hi Steve

I've just been catching up with your other thread and if your mortgage is indeed £600 a month, then I now understand your predicament.

.....If i lose my house they will have to re-home me ...pay me housing benefits, tax credits ect ect ...wouldn't it better to help me with my housing and living costs now let me get off the dole than pay out for benefits later ....

I have no wish to alarm you Steve, but I'm not sure things work like that. They don't HAVE to do anything. The government, nor your local council, have any means of knowing that you're a genuine job-seeker, so the council doesn't HAVE to re-home you, especially if you're not on the list for a council house.

If I were in your situation, I'd apply now for a council house/flat then, once you've got one, you could hopefully sell your home for the capital so you'd have at least a few thousand in the bank. That would be better than living on the poverty line.

Or, you could approach a company who would give equity release on your property. The mortgage is the biggest millstone right now.

Re: Am I right

Steve matey, lift your head off your chest, hold you head high - you have nothing to be ashamed of receiving JSA. As others have said you are no 'scrounger' and I whole-heartedly agree. Good luck with the job-hunting.

Re: Am I right

I dont want to move ...I left a scum ridden council estate years ago and this is my home not just a house.....I have worked hard and saved to buy it .....i have thought about equity release and yes it is feasible but as a last resort ....if i get a few thousand in my bank the benefits will stop maybe get enough to pay off the bills and keep below the benefit fresh hold if not what would they do just toss me and the wife on the streets..... ..(The council will not put a home owner on their list anyhow) perhaps i should turn into a terrorist or a illegal immigrant ..they get help and housing etc they will probably put some of THEM in my house when i get booted out.......

Re: Am I right

You are not sounding like a scrounger to me Steve. It sounds as if you are really between a rock and a hard place, but I would definitely not consider equity release of your home - it could add to your problems later on. If there is enough equity in your home, would you think it possible to put it up for sale and downsize, so you have less or possibly no mortgage? Doing that you wouldn't lose everything and if you could sell before the mortgage protection payments ran out you would still keep a house, albeit another less expensive one. That would take time, I know, but it is Spring round the corner and proably the best of time in the year to put a house onto the market.
It seems that everything is being screwed down during these austere days and maybe eventually the minimum wage (if we still have one) will be the norm for many people.
I know that if I were you I would move heaven and earth to keep a home of my own of some sorts. I don't know how old you are, or what the job prospects are like for what you do, or even what the job situation is like in your area. I am very sorry you are in this situation and there will be many worrying about the same thing or thinking there but for the grace..... Do you know, would try to do a bit of "moonlighting" with a cash in hand job to fill in with if it would help my personal situation. Something has got to be round the corner for you Steve - and I hope it is soon.

Re: Am I right

i am 56 this year so 9 years from retirement ....i have about 80k equity on my HOME the problem is average house prices are about 30-40k more than i have ....I am unlikely to get a mortgage now because of my age and the fact my credit rating is now gone and i have no job ....so you see as you said i am stuck between a rock and a hard place ....the main reason I (and 1000's) of other people are in the same situation as me is that we are honest and English...just a quick example.... some nosey bust body has recently reported my daughter of working FULL TIME and claiming JSA...totally untrue..they have suspended her JSA requested all her bank statements and asked her movements (they have even been spying on her ) they know she has been taking out her disabled grandparents or doing a few household chores for them ...she has be told she has to declare ANYTHING she gets in return even if it a free meal for dinner .....that is what we have to contend with ....so working or moonlighting is out of the question

Re: Am I right

Some people are so mean Steve - I really don't know what they get out of doing things like that when they don't know the facts. I hope your situation improves soon and in the meantime all you can do is keep trying and try not to get depressed. Is your CV up to date (you can get someone to help make it as attractive as possible) and then "flood" all the agencies and organisations you think may be able to help. I think a lot of it can be done on line now. Ask everyone you can think of whether they know of anything - a lot of jobs are word of mouth these days and never get advertised. Good luck and best wishes. Rena.

Re: Am I right

My CV is A1...i got it sorted out by a agency for the un-employed call GNMA..since they sorted it i have had more response ...obviously i have i have complimented them ....

Re: Am I right

Can I suggest getting advice from CAB for one, they will help you sort out your debts short term. Join employment agencies giving them a bigger window of what you could do as a job. Check with moneysavingsexpert.com on maybe what other savings you could make! For instance that PPI could get refunded, tips on there about that. Try National trust they always need part timers, beautiful environments and reasonable pay, at least while you are looking for full time. But first think about lowering your outgoings for now to bare minimum, there are schemes available to do this and Citizens advice in the UK are wonderful, if you don,t like asking try Martyn Lewis website.

Even small things like having a sort out and going to the car boot with it, plus selling unwanted but good items on EBay could bring in some cash. Pay the bare minimum on CC,s they will accept that than nothing for now.
Don,t despair there are answers, and you will find them. Good luck, things will get better, you won't believe that yet, but they will.

The benefits system in the UK was designed just for people like yourself use it to its full advantage, that is what it's there for.

Re: Am I right

I am so grateful for all the advise and support , but a lot of i am being advised i have already done, that doesn't mean i dont appreciate the advise I cannot claim on the ppi as I DID ask for it and I am using it thankfully...I would consider part time , but as i explained previous ,as soon as i sign off i will lose that ppi protection which means Temp and part time is not really feasible and would possibly make things worse ....I am already in touch with the CAB and need to make another appointment as things are now getting out of hand ...I have been trying to pay what i can and most creditors have been understanding , but there are a few companies who just want their pound of flesh , even when i aint got it ....