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I've had a letter to inform me that income support will be paid a minimum of fortnightly, continuing to be paid in arrears. To me, this implies that it could be changed to monthly in arrears payments, as I get with child benefit at the moment.
I have to say that this does make me very anxious. I had mega problems with my car, and spent a fortune trying to fix it - it still isn't fixed. Because of this I have credit card debts, and as I needed a car to start training to be a driving instructor, I took the plunge and replaced the car.
I am pretty good at budgeting, but it's all based on weekly payments - including the utility bills, tv licence etc. According to the letter, it's going to be phased in between April an October (knowing my luck, I'll be April :D ), and four weeks notice will be given So, I need to make sure I have enough money to cover all the bills.
Things are far worse, I know, for those who are being made redundant, I know... Yet I feel when a government agency is putting us who do claim in a position of getting into debt and behind with payments (I've never missed a payment nor been overdrawn, it's pretty unfair. It's ok for them to say save money to cover the change over... Trying to work out how I can actually cut back even further, but with four children, three of who are teenages, I seem to spend more now than ever.
You can phone if you anticipate hardship, but after the hassle I had when they stopped my income support before Christmas when I told them I was planning to train to be a driving instructor, I really don't want to speak to them if I can help it.
Writing this in terror of being shouted down for being on benefits!
Very tempted to buy a lotto ticket - but then again, I really should make sure that I don't spend that pound! :D At least the children's birthdays have been.
I'm just wondering if anyone in receipt of benefits has heard of this? Do you feel you'll be able to cope?
I know that two weekly doesn't sound much, but it is when you go down to your last 50p. My driving instructor as gone awol, so I'm having to find another instructor now, so plans not moving forward...
Letters to MPs sound like an enterprising idea :idea: I suppose what I am wondering is if you get paid fortnightly in arrears, as opposed to weekly in arrears, does this mean there will be one week when you get no money at all? I wonder how many of the people who make these decisions have ever had to llive on Income Support?
Louise :x
Letters to MPs sound like an enterprising idea :idea: I suppose what I am wondering is if you get paid fortnightly in arrears, as opposed to weekly in arrears, does this mean there will be one week when you get no money at all? I wonder how many of the people who make these decisions have ever had to llive on Income Support?
Louise :x
That's how I see it. The worrying part of the letter to me is the "be paid a minimum of fortnightly and continue to be paid in arrears" which imlies that fortnightly is just the start of it!
I can appreciate that there goal is to "encourage" people back into work, but doing it this way could well result in me missing a payment and getting a bad credit score for the future (wow, is that me showing optimism for the future?? :lol: ).
I've not chosen to live this way, yet having said that, I'm finding it incredibly difficult at the moment to get away from my situation. I know I have debt, but I have invoices to show why I have them (flaming car! and furnishing this place after being homeless) so I can see what I'm paying for! The thought of having to save up to cover these payments 'just incase' is worrying.
As for self-employment and working from home. I used to do book-keeping and wages and did try to build this up, declaring the work (nightmare with the DSS - more work sorting that out than it was doing the actual work!), but the builder's big contracts came to an end! With all the computer packages available now, I wasn't able to build a business up. I hope the driving school will work out though - I have the car now!!
I don't know. I had hoped this was a short term thing (worked for 22 years), and certainly never thought I'd be 'trapped'.
Sorry. Moidering again - still have that essay that needs more words added... :D
And possibly feeling a little lonely today.
Now call me an old fusspot (rather than anything else, :o ) but when it says "minimum of fortnightly" that says to me that you will be paid at least every fortnight ie if your payment day falls on a Bank Holiday then you will get your payment before rather than after. So hopefully it does not open the door for less frequent payment in the future.
If this is a general change throughout the country then it will cause a massive upheaval, however, and as you say, sparkly, you are trying to get things on track only to receive yet another setback :x I believe that up here in Yorkshire some areas went on to fortnightly years ago but I don't know if this was compulsory or optional. If anyone is doing letters to MPs then I wonder if it is worth suggesting that if there is a week with no money that at least a token sum could be provided to tide people over those few days?
For anyone reading this who is on Income support, just a reminder that you can earn up to £20 a week without it affecting your Income Support- I know this is not always practical or possible! but I found a couple of hours cleaning work per week helped me along when the kids were younger. Of course this implies that there are people in your area who can afford to pay for a cleaner......nuff said ;)
Louise
I've had the date, all starts on the 21 May. They made an offer of one week's benefit as an interest free loan, which I've accepted. Repayable at £42 a fortnight - I find their repayment rates with budget loans make them unaffordable really, but in this case, I'll be happier knowing its there hopefully as a buffer!
I must take some time now and figure out how to adjust. In theory, I'm putting a weeks benefit away into the savings account and then moving it over the following week. In theory, things should stay the same!
It would be helpful though if the children would stop wrecking shoes, ruining school trousers and growing out of the school polo shirt... at least for the time being :roll:
Sounds a good idea to put one week's money away but you will have to be very disciplined :roll:
I am with you on the ruining school trousers one. 6 weeks ago there was a 21st birthday party at one of the neighbour's houses. It was formal dress so I thought I would buy my son a pair of black school trousers to wear as his others were half-mast when properly pulled up ( the right length most of the time when he wore them low slung with his pants hanging out :o ) Anyway we got some from A***. 6 weeks later not only has the crotch split but they have a hole in them. I wonder if he is not actually going to school but is secretly doing daily training on an army assault course with extra barbed wire?
Louise ;)
I'm forever stitching up all the boys trousers in the same way! I think its a case of they don't make them as they used to!!
I've just got my change of payment date notification today. They are changing it from Monday weekly to Wednesday fortnightly and have offered a loan of £64.32 to be paid back at £10.72 per fortnight.
It IS a nuisance as it means I'll have no money to shop on Tuesdays when there is the cheap fruit and veg market. All my budgetting is tied up with money being available on Monday. I'd better cancel my direct debits too just to be careful I don't get overdrawn now.
I loathe being subject to these arbitrary changes - why so they do it anyway? It only causes problems all round.
School trousers really aren't made so well these days.
You won't believe this but I resorted to saving money with my youngest by sending him to a school with a "no uniform" policy, simply to avoid having to pay out for blooming uniform trousers every few weeks. I can dress him in much more durable trousers which cost less and last longer.
In the old days boys were made to wear shorts until they started secondary school. That avoided the issue of worn-out trouser knees!
Its only recently with this crotch - from the zip to the crotch - that the seams open. My 10 year old first, so figured it was cheap trousers, then it happened with my 13 year old. That one's a big thing, as they're good quality school trousers - his legs are soooo long!!!! Can't get cheap ones for him. Now the 17 year old handed me his trousers last week with the same thing (cheap supermarket ones).
I've told them that we're having sewing lessons in Cubs and Scouts on Thursday 8-)
I've passed down loads of uniforms with the children though. My youngest has sweatshirts that the eldest wore - and they look ok! (Fourth hand), and now the High School uniforms are working there way down the ranks :lol:
I've just got my change of payment date notification today. They are changing it from Monday weekly to Wednesday fortnightly and have offered a loan of £64.32 to be paid back at £10.72 per fortnight.
It IS a nuisance as it means I'll have no money to shop on Tuesdays when there is the cheap fruit and veg market. All my budgetting is tied up with money being available on Monday. I'd better cancel my direct debits too just to be careful I don't get overdrawn now.
I loathe being subject to these arbitrary changes - why so they do it anyway? It only causes problems all round.
I don't get it at all. I can only assume its saving money somewhere down the line.
The payment changes for me have been:
one week benefit
7 days later 5 days benefit
then next payment two weeks later.
I can cover that missing week with the loan then, I hope. Or Mr Credit card might have to come out if I'm desperate. I think with the loan that I can do it... I flaming well hope I can!
I can be very disciplined with money, so hope I don't let me down here!
Well you both sound very organised. It's yet another example of authorities just being able to make random decisions. I wonder if no-one anywhere is getting a Monday payment now because of Bank Holidays?
Re shorts, Harissa, I made mine wear them as long as possible and told them their knees mended easier than trousers ;)
Louise
... Re shorts, Harissa, I made mine wear them as long as possible and told them their knees mended easier than trousers ;)
Louise
:lol: :lol: :lol:
I'm in exactly the same boat and, like you and many of us here probably, am expert at budgeting on a weekly basis. I have no idea how we are expected to cope when this change comes into force as we will, quite literally, be left without 2 pennies to rub together.
I've never gambled but my grandmother did and I'm finding myself harbouring the odd thought about going into a bookies and trying to raise money that way. My son's father let slip to a friend that he is £26 thousand in debt, all accrued through a series of poorly paid jobs and from being self-employed. I suppose I'm well off compared to that BUT everytime a job adviser suggests that I start my own business (er...doing what exactly?) I feel like running to the hills ;o)
Does anyone think it is worth legally challenging the payday changes seeing as they are definitely going to push large numbers of needy families even further into debt? Letters to MPs?