I am not sure there is any allowance at all for smoking in the guidelines does this not simply come out Food and Household goods, therfore if you smoke the budege is to be taken from cut backs from other expenditures ??
I think if a smoking allowance was put in the original income and expenditure it would be modified out anyway.
Some IVAs do allow for a smoking allowance. I don't smoke, but if this was part of the social allowance, I can't see a problem.
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
I have read previously that a smoking allowance is allowed in some IVA's, neither myself or my husband now smoke so it's purely hypothetical, but just wondered or what would be the incentive (apart from the obvious health benefits) would there be to give up. x
IVA final payment left the bank on the 26th January 2013...looking forward to a debt free future.
Some people have been allowed a smoking allowance - don't get Michael Peoples started on that!![:D]
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
Smoking allowances are accepted by creditors, so long as they are reasonable and can be justified. This is a category that I would always be prepared to put forward for smokers, and once which is rarely challenged by creditors.
My wife smokes and we never even thought of asking for an allowance. We are at present dong our review. I suppose we should put it on there as it is an expense. I don't mind her smoking because when she did try and give up she substituted them alot with sweets and I found I spent alot of time away from home.
My wife smoked at the start of our insolvency,stopped and has started again,and has just started on the tablets from the docs to stop again. She has a £50 allowance per month which has remained throughout several reviews.
On the subject of guidelines,whats the point in having them since each case in built around an individual. Everyone earns a different amount and therefore would have a different standard budget for everyday things.
As for any marginal increases,I am of the opinion that the figures are so out dated any increase would have to be substantial(10%) to make a real difference!!
Paul
Discharged today the 8th feb 2012. View is much brighter now.
Continuing to rebuild our credit worthiness.
But most people do manage to stick to the budget guidelines with little bother Paul - I do agree with you, but as a profession we do need some benchmarks to work to and always have. There is not enough time for IPs nor crediors to fight every single corner on every single case unfortunately.
In the example I gave, and adding back in the categories that have been overlooked, the guideline budget for a family of four could potentially still be £17 per month less than before.
For me, and again I stress that this is only my opinion, the new set of guidelines (and for balance I would point out that for certain scenarios the guidelines are a tadge more generous than before, but not much) do not reflect the fact that the general cost of living has increased by substantially more than is reflected in the figures provided. It is also to be remembered that the previous guidelines were from 2008, there was no change at all for 2009.
Regards.
Cert DR
23+ years in debt advice
I do not post for anyone other than myself
