School Dinners

[David Mond]

Your IP deeppockets should argue the case and insist the actual cost of such meals should be allowable. Creditors will not deny this.

[deeppockets]

not sure sparkly but food allowance set at
£ 440 family of 4
obviously out of pocket school dinners alone
£18.50 per week
any guidelines for transport costs ie bus fares etc
can i put my case forward that allowances were not enough
at next review,or should i chase it now, am surviving ok for now but that down to overtime.
Cheers

[MelanieGiles]

Your IP is stepping over the line by telling you to give your kids packed lunches. Children should not suffer due to the actions of their parents, and a good hot meal at lunchtime ought to be a priority expense.

Do remember, however, that there are only 39 weeks in school during the year, so your monthly budget may be a little lower than you actually spend during a school month, which events itself out over the holiday period with careful budgeting.

[David Mond]

not sure sparkly but food allowance set at
£ 440 family of 4
obviously out of pocket school dinners alone
£18.50 per week
any guidelines for transport costs ie bus fares etc
can i put my case forward that allowances were not enough
at next review,or should i chase it now, am surviving ok for now but that down to overtime.
Cheers

Insist on a review now and put your case strongly and explain that you have received advice from people posting on this forum and give them our names!!!!

[Skippy]

Good luck getting this sorted out. It's very unfair to expect children to go without school dinners just so more can be paid into the IVA.

[MrsKnight]

My Son really wants to be on school dinners but at 10 pound per week out of a food & household budget of 300 per month (set by iva company not us) for a family of 4, I just find it impossible to afford.
Plus by other son start school in September & I would have to do the same for both so that would be 80 pound a month. Beyond impossible for me plus we have no allowances for the children to do any a activities such as swimming, beavers etc - the guilt makes me feel terrible when I have to say no.

[David Mond]

Have you considered a possible variation to put to creditors on the basis that your children will be suffering?

[MelanieGiles]

A family of two adults and two children should have a budget of £471 per month - per CCCS maximum guidelines.

The figure of £300 is ridiculous - and should not have been imposed on you by your IP. Was this done to make figures fit and to produce a disposable income that would make an IVA work?

[MrsKnight]

Hi David - yes I am currently waiting for my annual review & expecting to go through our I&E again. Which has changed alot due to moving house (rented), the household bills have changed & my husband has not had a pay increase this year & my tax credits have been reduced by 40 pounds a month & I am waiting for them to renew my claim. I have informed the IVA company of all the changes 3 months ago & had a review done in November due to struggling with allowances of 30 per month for both gas & electric (also set by IVA company). I am alittle unsure of which way to turn as we struggle quite abit but do not want it to fail.

[MrsKnight]

Hi melanie & thank you for your reply.
We had set our own I&E at the beginning but alot of was amended by the company and they stated that we had been given maxium allowances for an IVA.
I do now believe after reading & posting on the forum that our IVA was designed to make the IVA work. It has also been made harder by the following, they stated we get 13 child tax payments & 13 child benefit payments over the year so they actually put down we get more a month than we "actually" receive. Also we pay our council tax over 10 months & as our water rates over 9 - so they divided it up on how much we would pay over 12 months - making it a lesser amount on the I&E that what we actually pay a month. I hope you understand what I am saying. So we end up having to go into funds such as for the cars mot/tax, that we are supposed to save up - because they have us down as getting more money than we do & paying out less than we actually pay. I am in shock that I have managed to get through a year - but am desperatly trying to find the money for my cars mot etc in june/july. Last year the car 646 pounds at its mot as it went horribly wrong.

[MelanieGiles]

How long have you been in your IVA MrsKnight? If you were told that £300 was the maximum allowance you have grounds for a complaint. Which IP firm are you with?

Child benefit and tax creditors are actually paid every four weeks, so you do actually get 13 payments per year. And they have pro-rated your council tax and water rates over the year, which I would also agree with. It is really down to you to budget within these margins. I can be difficult in the early days, but it will get easier as time moves on.

[David Mond]

MrsKnight - who is your IVA company as to me this seems horrendous and will need carefull examination as to what should have been put forward as an IVA at the appropriate time?

[MrsKnight]

Sorry just to add we dont have the 10% clause for overtime & have to pay 50% of any additional income which we have managed & have had a 11 month payslip review stating we are upto date.
But this year my husbands company is struggling hence not getting a pay rise this year & they are not paying over time to employees on a salaried wage, any overtime has to be taken in days off. The only extra monies he gets now is if he works bank holidays he gets double time. My tax credits have been reduced due to husband working many hours over overtime last year, due to staff shortages & having to work 6 days a week for months at a time. Sorry I am waffling & thanks to anyone who read this.

[David Mond]

I would like to see your original I&E put forward in your original proposal and what that is now please.

[Skippy]

I think £30 for gas and electricity is appalling. We live in a one bed maisonette and we are paying £50 each a month.