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desdemona · Dec 10, 2007, 05:46 AM

Hi everyone, my first time on this forum. Im trying to resolve my impossible debt situation. Had to give up my job as a legal sec due to RSI. Was on incapacity benefit for 7 months and forced off it by DWP (it is going to appeal). Hands still immensely painful to type with. Am seeing CAB who have written to all my creditors with a letter from my GP confirming my health problems. So far only one creditor has written off a debt (the smallest). Worse of the lot are Barclays, who I have had to take to the Ombudsman (long complicated story). My question is - I receive disability living allowance at the lowest rate, and my Job Seeker's Allowance has a "disability" award built on to it. Am I supposed to declare this as income in any budget I try to produce? Thanks for any help.

excon · Dec 10, 2007, 06:25 AM

Hello d:

What do you expect them to do - forget about all the money you borrowed from them?? I don't think they're going to do that.

You appear to NOT be a resident of the US. But, I don't know of ANY country where the laws allow you to stiff your creditors. Of course, there's bankruptcy...

What budget are you producing and for whom is it?

excon

ScottGem · Dec 10, 2007, 06:29 AM

Writing off a debt has no affect on your obligation to pay it. And while the creditors might be sympathetic to your plight, they have have stockholders to account to.

What you have to include in your budget depends on who you are preparing this budget for.

P.S. Not everyone knows what acronyms you have to deal with. So please be careful with the alphabet soup.

ScottGem · Dec 11, 2007, 07:00 AM

Comments on this postdesdemona agrees: doesn't help at all I'm afraid

I'm confused as to why you think my response didn't help. You didn't give us enough information to answer some of your specific questions. So I asked for more. We really can't help you if you don't provide us with info to go on.

desdemona · Dec 12, 2007, 05:25 AM

Sorry Scott - I'm new to these forums and I never now what to put in them. I'm an ex legal secretary who has had RSI for over 3 years - had to give up my last job in March this year due to indescribable pain in right hand and arm. (Now have similar pains in left hand and arm). Was on incapacity benefit until Nov 5 when DWP decided I was "fit" to work and forced me onto JSA. I was looking for a new type of work anyway so I didn't care... but I had to wait 8 months before even getting a physio appointment through NHS. So far it hasn't helped at all (acapuncture, made me violently ill). The point I'm trying to make (typing agony, need to stop for a rest... ) is that I informed all 7 creditors of my medical condition and inability to work, but they continued to threaten and demand payments. Eventually went to CAB and they wrote to all of the creditors with a letter from my GP explaining my condition. Before this, I had been paying my creditors the amounts they requested. Obviously being unable to work I couldn't do this. Barclays are my main creditor and the most obstinate - I have taken them to the Ombudsman because they refused to communicate with me at all, even via their complaints procedure, and kept insisting on payment (£6,600) in full, despite seeing my then budget. They refuse to negotiate, write off any part of the debt, won't compromise in any way at all. I can't afford to make myself bankrupt. I am trying, as a middle aged person without a family to help (sob, sob! Not meant to sound pitying) to get some sense out of all these people. I also have mounting utility bills arrears as I haven't been able to pay these in full. Does this help at all?

ScottGem · Dec 12, 2007, 06:31 AM

Again, please don't assume we will understand the acronyms. I assume RSI is repetitive strain injury, NHS is National Health Service and GP is General Practitioner. The rest I haven't a clue, but they really don't matter too much.

As I previously said. Writing off any part of the debt has NOTHING to do with your or your obligation. So its really no concern of yours.

I don't know what other avenues besides the ombudsman is available to you in the UK. But they can't get blood from a stone. If they sue you, you can't pay what you don't have.

Not sure what you mean by not being able to afford to go bankrupt, but that seems to be the best course for you. Have you tried consulting a solicitor with knowledge in this area?