The advice thread for random problems #7

[Snippysnips]

Them is the charity support workers. I do want the money use for debts! Im worried the DWP will say I must live on it instead and it will already be gone.

Pretty sure if you are on UC then it's around 15k before they stop anything an tell you to live off it, over 6k am sure is just a reduction in what you get an then it's 15k before they stop

If it's getting paid out as soon as you get it then I don't see how it would affect you since it essentially wouldn't have stayed very long, an so long as you keep a record of where the money's went (online history or receipts) then it shouldn't fall back on you

 

[becca7721]

I spoke to sheltercymru and they said anything used for essential expenses is deducted so it would be tapered for £6000 and stopped at £16000 they did mention there can be issues sometimes cos it’s UC advised I keep records, I cant take the email but can the vital info and list of where money will go and advised get reciepts for that - thats a problem because there’s no bank here, and the hub won’t print anything as not secure connection but I get paper statements (which are recognised legal documents) so I can provide those, except for the cash only landlord but the amount will be below £6000 by then.

They said under £6000 is ignored.

 

[RocksOff]

Hopefully @becca7721 this money, so kindly given, will be able for you to get a start on reducing your debt, it must be a worry.
It's sad that you've lost your relative to get it though, so condolences to you

 

[Captainmouse]

can the executor pay the debts on your behalf, so the money doesn’t hit your account?

 

[Chocolategoggler]

Oh I see
Can you open an online banking account and have it paid into there and then pay those that you owe?

Have just read that you can use inheritance to pay off debts without it affecting your universal credit , Shelter Website, Have a look

I thought you were allowed to have so many thousands and still get benefit.

 

[becca7721]

Spoiler: Spoilered as long

Hopefully @becca7721 this money, so kindly given, will be able for you to get a start on reducing your debt, it must be a worry.
It's sad that you've lost your relative to get it though, so condolences to you

To be honest I’m losing my home due to hoarding disorder and council won’t help me because my landlord stole my bin (yes, they laughed down the phone and said people like me don’t need one) so the therapy was withdrawn as council collections are so haphazard and they’ll only take one bag every three weeks I needed a bin to store waste in, and exemption from food waste and recycling as lot of it isn’t suitable. Now council will only take one bag every three weeks depending on various circumstances and there’s seven adults plus two children living in property. Council have refused homelessness application as not in therapy which was stopped and that’s automatic band f even on street. There’s something like five collections before I must go.

I have been reducing the debt. The payments will reduce slightly but move forward faster and improve credit rating for moving so that’s good.

Her death and will have torn the family apart. Last three months have been hell. They only speak to me to have a go. I’ve had dozens of texts re DWP taking the money so why don’t I just give it to them as I don’t deserve it, and much worse. She was last of those that hadn’t hurt me and it’s a big hole. Landlord knows and is taking advantage too.

I am NOT ungrateful for her help with this.
II hope you don’t think that as it will help. It’s so hellishly difficult.

can the executor pay the debts on your behalf, so the money doesn’t hit your account?

He was considering that, however, my family are fighting, legally and dirty, over the will, it’s been really nasty and hard on him as he’s been forced to do everything exactly as it’s written and legal. I’m not saying he would commit fraud but there are things she wanted done “informally“ like a family gathering and people taking away what they wanted from her valuables and a nice meal for everyone to come together as the funeral was tiny and most couldn’t go - that was dropped. Unnamed(?) in will valuables must now go to auction.

Multiple people have lawyers chasing him, I’ve had accusations of benefit fraud from family levied at me as well.

He runs his own law firm, plus other businesses, he cannot stand me but that’s based on what he’s been told about me, so that’s not his fault. He’s been professional about all of this with me and I appreciate it.

 

[Former_Antelopee]

I had a water leak (leaky loo) and got an email from the water company to say my bill is high check for a leak. The leak was fixed start of December. I just got my water bill in the post and it's gone up again (£47 I live alone). It says the billing period is July-december so I assume I'll just have to wait 6months to see the improvement of fixing the leak?

 

[becca7721]

I thought you were allowed to have so many thousands and still get benefit.

View attachment 3847633View attachment 3847634

In theory yes.

But it’s the DWP.

They aren’t allowed to refuse benefit to someone with a terminal illness, they do (when my friend had breast cancer she was told she needed a date by which she would die to qualify as tablet chemo wasn’t real chemo so she could work), she lived beyond the date, so all her money stopped as she wasn’t classed as terminal anymore but cured, she died homeless Christmas Eve 2016. In June 2017 after she died they accepted her appeal.

I was doing permitted work whilst claiming JSA - I was earning around £50 a week (benefit then was about £60 JSA) and they kept ringing me at work to attend interviews - I was lone working managerial in a hospital a vital role and couldn’t leave, so they took £9.50 (so I had 50p a week to maintain contributions for pension). Not allowed anything else like housing or council tax. I tried to close my claim they wouldn’t let me. I lost my job and then they ended my claim because I lost my job.

Im well aware fraud exists but despite never having committed fraud, paid a fortune in medical evidence and found innocent when accused it STILL stays on file. My qualifications are recorded from when I claimed JSA, every time I’ve been there I’ve been accused of fraud because my qualifications mean it’s impossible I cannot work and can claim. Every time. Until Covid I was reapplying for ESA support group every three months I had multiple claims open, appeals going on .. Never mind what Ive been through on UC.

Finally, they let volunteers from a charity go there and access my account who pretended to be me as they had kept my non photo ID.

They screw up something that can be 3 months zero income at least, then another to get paid (as I was last year), then you get “it’s fine you’ll get backpay“ but that’s no use when you need food etc, also, they can deduct if your backpay is too large and be expected to live on it (also, not allowed). when I got it I owed thousands on credit cards, bills, landlord etc and the DWP allowed people I owed to take 20% *each* from what they allowed me, including housing benefit.

 

[becca7721]

I had a water leak (leaky loo) and got an email from the water company to say my bill is high check for a leak. The leak was fixed start of December. I just got my water bill in the post and it's gone up again (£47 I live alone). It says the billing period is July-december so I assume I'll just have to wait 6months to see the improvement of fixing the leak?

In my experience yes, I assume you have a meter, has your standing charge gone up? That’ll effect it too.

 

[Former_Antelopee]

In my experience yes, I assume you have a meter, has your standing charge gone up? That’ll effect it too.

No idea tbh I'll have to check

 

[becca7721]

No idea tbh I'll have to check

It sounds like it. I’ve no idea where it would be though your water company would know.

 

[becca7721]

So I’ve had a demand for electric bill. It’s for over £6000. I don’t know if it’s right or not as I cannot access my meter. Says pay within seven days or court action. Says they’ll support me, i rang and they told me “go online”.

The letter is dated 31st December.

Then it says if not paid in full within 28 days default registered.

i don’t understand why it’s gone up so much, Ive been paying them! Surely the jobcentre will let me use money incoming for this?

Theres been no letters here since last Friday due to weather.

Im really scared. Who sends a bloody letter like this before a bank holiday??

 

[becca7721]

New development. Had letter delivered at 4:30pm (not letters since new year eve due to weather) says…

Trying to be optimistic surely the DWP can’t say this is deprivation given it says :

“THERES A DEBT OF £5,071.13 ON YOUR ACCOUNT - PLEASE PAY TO AVOID LEGAL ACTION”

We want to support you (reply to my sodding letters then!!) if we don’t hear from you within seven days of the date of this letter (29th December 2025) the next step will be to pass your details to a debt collection agency this will result in additional charges.

Its important you know what this means for you..

Failure to pay within 28 days* of this letter could result in a default being registered with credit agencies.

Then how I won’t get a mortgage or phone or rent.

Is it 7 days or 28????

Ive no idea how it is so much it was £800 a year ago. I can’t even check becasue their bills are now all in light green and I’m colourblind. I know it reads in reverse to other meters due to age.

PLAN was to go to jobcentre with legal info from executor (amount, how it shows on bank statement, full details of estate), address, DOB, NI and then list of payments needed, maybe just take this one, then hub Tuesday and transfer full amount? 7 days were up on Monday.

My landlord will evict immediately, and is allowed to, if have CCJ, he’s done it before.

I looked on FB and people have been complaining about no post where it can be delivered to safely so they went out this afternoon. We’ve had loads.

 

[becca7721]

Sorry first post was made in a blind panic. Hence facts wrong. Apologies.

 

[Snippysnips]

.

Is it 7 days or 28????

Ive no idea how it is so much it was £800 a year ago. I can’t even check becasue their bills are now all in light green and I’m colourblind. I know it reads in reverse to other meters due to age.

From how I read it, they want a reply from you within 7 days, either email or a phonecall an then you have 28 days to pay

Also if you are colourblind you will need to say to them to send out the letters in a colour you can read, they can't send letters out that's no use, this is how they say on them that they can send it out in Welsh, or Braille, but you need to inform them of it, am pretty sure it would be against the law to send a letter that a person would struggle with, am dyslexic so therefore I have more spaced out letters with words an the lines are spaced out more so I can read my letters

 

[Bread]

I had a water leak (leaky loo) and got an email from the water company to say my bill is high check for a leak. The leak was fixed start of December. I just got my water bill in the post and it's gone up again (£47 I live alone). It says the billing period is July-december so I assume I'll just have to wait 6months to see the improvement of fixing the leak?

If you had a leak and can prove you got it fixed you should be owed a rebate from the water company.

 

[Wooh]

Sorry first post was made in a blind panic. Hence facts wrong. Apologies.

"Sorry" first response is made in a blind annoyance. Hence I don't believe you. No apology. You've been doing this for so long. You've described debilitating physical ailments with dates ending ability to use phone. You've described multiple personalities! At some point the zombies will be at your alleged door. Yet! Fortunately you remain housed. It is great to know you are safe, even when...

 

[boatofbubbles]

Is there an way i can email my 6 years school without sounding like a grade A *head?
I changed my daughter's surname in the midst of applying for primary schools, so on the original forms she still had dad's surname. Once she got into the primary school she had my surname (by legal deed poll), so on all her school forms/books she has new surname. She only knows herself as new surname. The school uses an app for everyday updates but this was registered under her old surname. Daughter likes to see "her points" on the app which causes questions on " why I am x previous surname?" Which is too complicated to explain due to her age. How can I politely ask that the new surname is changed on the app? Dad died by suicide, daughter is aware of dad's first name but not surname as he wasn't the best person so id like her to learn the best of him (i do this for her, not him) as, if she was to google his full name then not great stories would come up (she wouldnt do this at this age but the longer I can keep her "innocent" i feel would be better for her) So how do I ask this is changed if possible? Without sounding like an AI bot?

 

[Former_Antelopee]

If you had a leak and can prove you got it fixed you should be owed a rebate from the water company.

Oh we just fixed it ourselves if was just a valve that needed changing

 

[cowtastrophe]

Is there an way i can email my 6 years school without sounding like a grade A *head?
I changed my daughter's surname in the midst of applying for primary schools, so on the original forms she still had dad's surname. Once she got into the primary school she had my surname (by legal deed poll), so on all her school forms/books she has new surname. She only knows herself as new surname. The school uses an app for everyday updates but this was registered under her old surname. Daughter likes to see "her points" on the app which causes questions on " why I am x previous surname?" Which is too complicated to explain due to her age. How can I politely ask that the new surname is changed on the app? Dad died by suicide, daughter is aware of dad's first name but not surname as he wasn't the best person so id like her to learn the best of him (i do this for her, not him) as, if she was to google his full name then not great stories would come up (she wouldnt do this at this age but the longer I can keep her "innocent" i feel would be better for her) So how do I ask this is changed if possible? Without sounding like an AI bot?

I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request at all. I would definitely email them and ask.