I hope you get it sorted bumps. Melanies team come highly recommended and if anyone can get you sorted out, they can.
Good luck and keep posting to let us know how you are getting on.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
Bob Marley. http://kallis3.blogs.iva.co.uk
That's great news bumps, I really hope you can get this sorted. You are in safe hands with Melanie and her team. Please keep posting and let us all know how you get on. X
Thanks for all your messages of support, those kind words make me feel better already. I wish you all a very happy new year. Will let you know how I get on with my initial phone call!
I am so glad that we have been able to help you and that you feel better.
Look forward to hearing how you have got on.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
Bob Marley. http://kallis3.blogs.iva.co.uk
Am at home recovering from recent brain surgery, but having spoken to Melanie before going in to hospital I feel quite positive about my future. I am under no false illusions, I know that it is going to be tough going for a while, but, I am sure that any difficulties, short-term, will be well worthwhile. It is very comforting to know that I am not alone in this and that support is always close at hand. Take care all XX
It is a good general rule that a person whose income derives entirely from benefits has by definition NO disposable income.
Disability benefits are designed to meet the additional costs of disability, and it is accepted that clients may decide NOT to use them to make payments to creditors (Revised Determination of Means Guidelines and Money Advice Liaison Group).
However, these benefits are not hypothecated, ie they do not have to be linked to specific purchases. The implication therefore is that they COULD be used to fund a DMP or an IVA if that is what the client really wanted.
I think the issue of 'disability discrimination' is a bit of a red herring. There is no question of the system discriminating against people because they are disabled. Some disabled people are on very high incomes. The issue is whether it is ethical to fund a repayment plan for the benefit of creditors (who should never have lent money in the first place) from income designed to improve the quality of life of a disabled person.
Bumps, I would suggest that if you are in any doubt about your proposed course of action you get straight in touch with your local Citizens Advice whose first course of action would be to try and get these debts written off for you, so you would not have to pay them at all.
They might also discuss the option of bankruptcy with you, which might be a good option if you don't own, or at least have any equity in, your property. In bankruptcy you would have nothing at all to pay either (on an ongoing basis), in the basis of what I said in the first paragraph.
(I should add this assumes no other income, and it sounds from your original post that you have no property equity)
Best Regards
Last edited by go_4_broke on Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bumps has already spoken to Melanie's team and they will give the best advice.
If someone on benefits wants to try for an IVA to repay their debts then surely they should be able to. The money may well have been borrowed while they were on the same benefits, so why shouldn't they be able to go for an IVA?
I also don't think that it is ethical,whether you are on benefit or not, to try and get the debts written off.
Sharing from experiences of dealing with debt
The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.
Bob Marley. http://kallis3.blogs.iva.co.uk
There is no reason why someone on disability benefits should not offer a settlement to their creditors if the circumstances dictate. At the end of the day it is not for any of us to act as judge and jury - that is the prerogative of creditors.
