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anthony.al
New Member
3 Posts |
 Posted - 10 March 2010 : 07:51:14
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| can you please tell me what the min amount is that i can claim for food for 2 people,thanks |
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kallis3
Moderator
27 month\s down 33 month\s to go.
United Kingdom
35545 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 09:20:37
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Hi,
What we normally say on here is to put down exactly what you spend on food etc., your IP will tell you if it is too much. |
Buckle your seat belt Dorothy, 'cos Kansas is going bye bye.
27 down, 33 to go.
Jan
xx
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Andy Davie
Administrator
IVA completed.
10766 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 12:15:12
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Hi
The CCCS guidelines state between 185 and 313 pounds for a couple
Regards |
Andy Davie, IVA.co.uk spokesperson and a Debt Advisor
If you need any help or advice about the various debt solutions available please contact me via my website at www.andydavie.com
Author of "Real life IVA stories" and Debt Counsellor of the year finalist 2010 |
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kallis3
Moderator
27 month\s down 33 month\s to go.
United Kingdom
35545 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 12:38:36
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Why is there such a big difference between minimum and maximum for a couple?
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Buckle your seat belt Dorothy, 'cos Kansas is going bye bye.
27 down, 33 to go.
Jan
xx
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Michael Peoples
Forum Expert
4387 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 14:58:25
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The guidelines do not seem to make any sense Jan when you see disparities like this. A single person is allowed between £96 and £195 but who could live on £96 per month for food, toiletries and cleaning???
Even the maximum allowances are not generous but the minimum wouldn't be enough to live on Lidl beans and toast for five years! |
Michael Peoples | McCambridge Duffy Insolvency Practitioners www.mccambridgeduffy.com |
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briggadeen
IVA Junior
5 month\s down 55 month\s to go.
United Kingdom
122 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 18:07:35
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There is 3 of us (1 Little person) My allowance is £392 for a month but I find that I'm cutting corners, my little one is still in nappies and these cost around £7 per pack which lasts little over a week. But if there are 5 weekends in a month then I am really really stretched.
(When we first done our I&E my IP asked if I could shop somewhere cheaper, I get things cheaper where I can but not going to numerous shops for different bits) |
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Andy Davie
Administrator
IVA completed.
10766 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 18:19:54
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Hi
I think the guidelines must be due for an update soon
Regards |
Andy Davie, IVA.co.uk spokesperson and a Debt Advisor
If you need any help or advice about the various debt solutions available please contact me via my website at www.andydavie.com
Author of "Real life IVA stories" and Debt Counsellor of the year finalist 2010 |
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Helen
Forum Expert
IVA completed.
United Kingdom
6018 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 18:23:25
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I agree
What a difference. when we started our allowance was £500 per month for 2 adults, 2 teenagers and 2 smaller children.
I could go on and on about struggles etc but you can't get a decent trolley full from tesco for less than £120 these days... thank goodness for own brands and pasta..lol
xx |
IVA Completed
H xx
please visit my blog at: http://ladyh.blogs.iva.co.uk
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lesley_
Forum Expert
30 month\s down 30 month\s to go.
United Kingdom
8889 Posts |
Posted - 10 March 2010 : 19:09:38
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| I do think the guidelines do need updating as all our shopping and utilities are increasing. We can all cut back so far but sometimes it becomes impossible and we do need a little luxury now and then to keep us going within an IVA. |
http://thereisanend.blogs.iva.co.uk/
Downhill now 31/60.... |
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MelanieGiles
IP
30800 Posts |
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kallis3
Moderator
27 month\s down 33 month\s to go.
United Kingdom
35545 Posts |
Posted - 11 March 2010 : 06:37:21
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Brigadeen,I think it's wrong to try and tell us where to shop (unless of course you choose to shop at Fortnum and Mason!). Some of us don't have a choice in supermarkets due to location. I mostly use Asda and Tesco.
We have actually put our allowances for petrol and housekeeping up this year and been allowed to do so.
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Buckle your seat belt Dorothy, 'cos Kansas is going bye bye.
27 down, 33 to go.
Jan
xx
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plasticdaft
Forum Expert
United Kingdom
4145 Posts |
Posted - 11 March 2010 : 11:19:39
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I dont understand why the guidelines arent assessed every year.
And Jan,I dont think you will be alone in asking for an increase in housekeeping and given that over the past 6 months fuel had steadily crept back up and food prices continue to rise at a steady rate!!!
Paul |
24 payments down in our protected trust deed. With 18 to go we are on the downhill stretch!! |
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MelanieGiles
IP
30800 Posts |
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plasticdaft
Forum Expert
United Kingdom
4145 Posts |
Posted - 11 March 2010 : 20:34:31
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| The silence is deafening! |
24 payments down in our protected trust deed. With 18 to go we are on the downhill stretch!! |
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CCCS Counsellor
Forum Expert
United Kingdom
53 Posts |
Posted - 12 March 2010 : 11:21:07
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Hello,
Sorry for the delay in replying I was not in the office yesterday.
The guidelines are combination of a review of the retail price index, a review of the last several months CCCS client budget figures and an alignment/check with the BBA/MAT guideline figures to make sure that we are not quoting below these figures, it is a very detailed process we go through every year.
They are just "guidelines" and to be used as that. If there is a reason why expenditure is higher then you just need to explain this to your IP/ DMP provider. For example having to buy nappies or having special diary requirements.
There does have to be some type of guideline when working towards a budget or you could have the extremes of someone spending nowhere near enough and someone overspending. I have spoken to a very wide variety of clients, some people who receiving income support and spending under the guideline and then people who have not experienced financial difficulties in the past so have never had to budget and may be spending much more.
If there have been changes to someone's life i.e. made redundant, then costs do have to reduce in the budget as there will be no way of supporting overspending on a such a low income. For example a single person claiming job seekers allowance receives £64 per week and if they are spending the top end of the guidelines (£195) or over, this would leave them with only £19 per week to pay for gas, electric, transport, clothes and all other essential items. Something has got to give or the budget would not be sustainable and their situation could become worse.
Sarah
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CCCS is a registered charity, we take great pride in offering first class help and advice, but we only offer this where we have been able to fully explore and understand your circumstances with you. We want to help you understand these choices and their possible implications but not make them for you.
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plasticdaft
Forum Expert
United Kingdom
4145 Posts |
Posted - 12 March 2010 : 11:27:27
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so are you saying that you review the guideline figures every year? When can we expect to see the figures rise next?
Thankyou for posting a response.
Paul |
24 payments down in our protected trust deed. With 18 to go we are on the downhill stretch!! |
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CCCS Counsellor
Forum Expert
United Kingdom
53 Posts |
Posted - 12 March 2010 : 11:38:10
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quote:
Originally posted by plasticdaft
so are you saying that you review the guideline figures every year? When can we expect to see the figures rise next?
Thankyou for posting a response.
Paul
It’s not long since the figures were last reviewed and they stayed the same for this year. When reviewing the figures again next time, again they will take the above points into account. |
CCCS is a registered charity, we take great pride in offering first class help and advice, but we only offer this where we have been able to fully explore and understand your circumstances with you. We want to help you understand these choices and their possible implications but not make them for you.
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Skippy
Moderator
United Kingdom
16267 Posts |
Posted - 12 March 2010 : 11:54:04
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Thanks for the response Sarah.
Perhaps now someone needs to impress on the creditors that the guidelines are only guidelines and not everyone can use them! |
Only when the last tree has died, the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realise that we cannot eat money.
View my blog at http://skippy13.blogs.iva.co.uk/
Last IPA payment made 28th June 2010 - it's finally over! |
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CCCS Counsellor
Forum Expert
United Kingdom
53 Posts |
Posted - 12 March 2010 : 12:11:17
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quote:
Originally posted by Skippy
Thanks for the response Sarah.
Perhaps now someone needs to impress on the creditors that the guidelines are only guidelines and not everyone can use them!
Our guidelines are accepted by all creditors, courts and insolvency service (OR's). If the figures are higher for a particular reason make sure your IP/DMP provider notes this on your budget to highlight the reason for this with a meaningful comment (special dietary requirements etc)
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CCCS is a registered charity, we take great pride in offering first class help and advice, but we only offer this where we have been able to fully explore and understand your circumstances with you. We want to help you understand these choices and their possible implications but not make them for you.
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Michael Peoples
Forum Expert
4387 Posts |
Posted - 12 March 2010 : 12:19:00
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It is all very well using the retail price index [RPI] as a measure when deciding that allowances for food are to stay the same. However, inflation has gone up but the allowances have not. Second the RPI is based on a huge range of expenses including garden spades and does not reflect the reality of those on low incomes or budgets. Thirdly, the price of staple goods such as pasta, bread, milk, cheese etc have gone up dramatically in the last twelve months while the price of electronic and white goods has come down. This affects the overall RPI rate but impacts greatest on those on limited budgets as a higher proportion of their income is spent on basic living expenses.
Finally, while Sarah says that the guidelines are only that, we have had numerous clients who have been asked for uplifts when their expenses exceeded the guidelines and explanations for the differences were given to creditors. The CCCS have a guideline of £130 per month for fuel and parking which is absurd. Apart from the fact that this figure does not seem to have changed in years despite the massive increases in fuel costs, fuel costs are what they are.
The sooner the guidelines are looked at the better. I find it very surprising that the guidelines were reviewed not that long ago yet it was felt that no changes were needed to any of the items on the guideline list. |
Michael Peoples | McCambridge Duffy Insolvency Practitioners www.mccambridgeduffy.com |
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Andy Davie
Administrator
IVA completed.
10766 Posts |
Posted - 12 March 2010 : 12:42:57
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Hi
Expenditure allowance that are too tight really do not help anybody in the long run. Petrol should be based on whatever you spend to get to work plus an amount for social use. We so often have posts on here from people that are only a few months into an IVA but are struggling to keep within the allownaces.
Sarah is correct in that there need to be guidelines but creditors need to realise that these are just that and that asking for reductions at creditor meeting stage is going to put any IVA at risk of failing as the debtor will nearly always agree to such demands just so that the IVA is accepted and the chasing telephone calls stop.
Regards |
Andy Davie, IVA.co.uk spokesperson and a Debt Advisor
If you need any help or advice about the various debt solutions available please contact me via my website at www.andydavie.com
Author of "Real life IVA stories" and Debt Counsellor of the year finalist 2010 |
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CCCS guidelines
