Extreme Financial & Housing Difficulties: Advice

[Jarvis]

As a consequence of either alcohol or other domestic issues, many of us here have experienced extreme financial and housing difficulties at one time or another. If you are currently facing problems such as these, you may find the contact details below helpful.

This list - which comprises a selection of agencies offering free advice and assistance - should be accurate at the time of writing, but please feel free to supply updated details. The list is not exhaustive, however - so again, please feel free to contribute contact details for any other agencies you feel are relevant, particularly for localised/regional support agencies and those overseas.1

Many more day/drop-in centres, soup kitchens, hostels, refuges, and alternative support agencies exist across the UK for those experiencing financial or housing difficulties. If the information provided on this thread does not suit your specific needs, please contact your local council or local council housing services, search online, or visit a local public library for more information regarding the opportunities and assistance available in your area.

General Financial & Housing Issues:

Citizens' Advice Bureau
"The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice."
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)
Money, tax and benefit advice
"The Department for Work and Pensions is the government department responsible for welfare. It works with people of working age, employers, disabled people, pensioners, families and children, providing services through a number of executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies."
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Dl1/Directories/DG_10012572

Housing & Homelessness:

Shelter
"Shelter is a charity that works to alleviate the distress caused by homelessness and bad housing. We do this by giving advice, information and advocacy to people in housing need. Shelter provides free, confidential advice to people with all kinds of housing problems [including mortgage arrears] through our online housing information and our face to face local services."

Shelter, England
http://england.shelter.org.uk/
Free phone 8am-8pm Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm Saturday-Sunday:
0808 800 4444

Shelter, Scotland
http://scotland.shelter.org.uk
Free phone 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday: 0808 800 4444

Shelter, Wales
http://www.sheltercymru.org.uk
0845 075 5005 (Doesn't specify on the site whether or not this is a free phone number)

Housing Rights Service, Northern Ireland (working in partnership with Shelter)
http://www.housingadviceni.org
9.30am-1.30pm, Monday to Friday: 028 9024 5640 (Doesn't specify on the site whether or not this is a free phone number)

Crisis
"We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change. Our innovative education, employment, housing and well-being services address individual needs and help people to transform their lives."
http://www.crisis.org.uk/

The website lists Crisis centres in cities across the UK.

They also provide the following advice for those either homeless or about to become homeless, on a page which contains a number of relevant links:

"Getting advice about homelessness and housing problems: there are several services that can give you specialist advice and support if you are homeless or about to become homeless:
* Your council has a duty to give advice to homeless people and provide housing or other support to some homeless people who are in "priority need" of housing.
* Independent advice services also give advice on housing rights and homelessness.
* Day centres offer shelter during the day for homeless people and rough sleepers. They provide advice and practical help which may include meals, showers, laundry and medical services." (http://www.homelessuk.org/details.asp?id=LP385)

Salvation Army
"Family breakdown, unemployment, poverty, homelessness, and drug and alcohol dependency are just some of the reasons why people can lose everything they value, including their dignity. There are more than 800 Salvation Army social service centres and churches (corps). We run 120 drop-in centres offering support and help for people in need and serve 3,000,000 meals every year at community and residential centres."
http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/home
Try http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/Inyourregion/ for a list of local centres, or via their main contact number/email: 020 7367 4500, [email protected]

Domestic Abuse:

Women’s Aid
"Women's Aid is the key national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children. We support a network of over 500 domestic and sexual violence services across the UK."
http://www.womensaid.org.uk
Free phone 24 hr. National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247

Men's Advice Line
"The Men's Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic violence and abuse. We welcome calls from all men - in heterosexual or same-sex relationships. The Men's Advice Line offers emotional support, practical advice and information. Our focus is to increase the safety of men experiencing domestic violence (and the safety of their children) and reduce the risk."
http://www.mensadviceline.org.uk
Free phone Monday - Friday 10am-1pm and 2pm-5pm: 0808 801 0327



1 As ever, posts advertising commercial/fee-charging organisations not affiliated with Bright Eye will be removed.

[Jarvis]

Anyone with housing/homelessness difficulties in Cambridge can head to

Jimmy's Night Shelter
http://www.jimmyscambridge.org.uk/index.php?section=1

Jimmy’s Night Shelter:
1 East Road
Cambridge CB1 1BD
Tel: 01223 576085
Housekeeper: 01223 516054
[email protected]

Aside from free accommodation and food, the hostel offers a very wide range of support services, with the aim of enabling guests of all backgrounds to find longer-term accommodation and assistance with any health and financial issues they may have.

Another Cambridge charity to try is Winter Comfort:
http://www.wintercomfort.org.uk/

Overstream House, Victoria Avenue,
Cambridge CB4 1EG
Registered Charity No. 1003083 | Registered Company No. 2615905
Telephone (01223) 518140
Email [email protected]

[Jarvis]

Thanks Luke - hopefully recommendations like this, and any more that people know of, will help others when they find themselves in difficulty

[pandora321]

Absolutely... Would just like to add the CAB helped me so much re sorting my financial difficulties... So please don't PANIC they can't take what you haven't got, and people are there to help. Be brave don't ignore the bills and hope they go away..That sets you up for more anxiety and increases the fear of the unknown.They WILL get sorted, & in many cases as Luke has mentioned they can be reduced or even written off. Take action now

[Kazzl]

For people in Australia, here are some charities and government contacts for emergency financial and housing assistance:

Emergency financial assistance
Most major charities will provide emergency assistance in cash and food. In some cases, they provide home visitations to assess your needs and provide personal support. Services include providing food or food vouchers, clothing, furniture, budget support, assistance with utility bills or back to school costs, information and advocacy

Three major charities that operate in most cities and towns are:
St Vincent de Paul Society
http://www.vinnies.org.au/home-act

The Smith Family
http://www.thesmithfamily.com.au

The Salvation Army
http://www.salvationarmy.org.au

Government assistance and support schemes – including for emergency relief - are available through Centrelink (offices in most cities and towns)
http://www.humanservices.gov.au/custome ... is-payment

State and territory governments also offer assistance – Google emergency assistance and your state.

Emergency accommodation
Charities will also advise on local shelters and emergency accommodation in your area.

The YWCA provides assistance for women who are homeless or likely to become homeless.
http://ywca.org.au/how-we-change-commun ... ng-support

[loosebanana]

When really in the mire it is difficult to know where to start, I was spending the housing benefit on drink and got in terrible problems. I tried a lot of things (CAB etc.) but eventually ended up in court and was evicted, I left the morning of the eviction date. I then spent 8 weeks living rough in a tent.

The only thing I could and should have done is apply for a 'Discretionary Housing Payment' but as I knew I was in the wrong I didn't. I was flummoxed though, the housing benefit I received didn't cover the rent and the landlady was mercenary.

8 weeks living rough toughened me up a bit, but I was still expected to be able to work and thus got paid JSA and letters for me were sent to my local Job Centre Plus.

In my time in the tent I got a job, the most horrible work, but 45 hours a week on minimum wage meant at least a chance of finding and paying for, accommodation, summer was drawing to a close.

The landlady pursued me through the courts, I found accommodation and began to rebuild my life, I got a better job, she had opened a bank statement so forwarded my details to the court and they froze my account, which meant a few harrowing days of not being able to get money to get to work, or concentrate. I pawned what little I had to buy drink.

That was 3 years ago, never again, I eventually paid her in full.

At the time I just lived day by day, after all I'd backpacked around the states, was it so different? But looking back it was horrendous, and since then I have a better understanding about how hard it is and have helped those in my situation, sometimes giving hard cash to people on the streets.

Now I have a nice home, security, food, all the normal things. The only thing I knew was that I could somehow get out of it, lots of people out there have mental problems alongside their drinking and are the ones really needing things like the 50p breakfast that the local church where I was camping organised.

It's just part of my story, some of the camping was quite good fun, but with no address it's pretty hard to get back on your feet.

I am only now just recovering.

[loosebanana]

Important points there Sal, debt problems are not a matter for the criminal courts. Worst case is that it goes to a county court and it is not as bad as it seems, they try to come to some arrangement.

I begged my family for help but in the end it came down to me. I was given 'tough love'.

If it wasn't for the fact I was reasonably healthy (at the age of 42) and prepared to rough it I could have been a sick wino down at the beach. It was that close.

I almost considered crime. Time in jail seemed alright compared to my plight.

I spent some nights sleeping in a bus shelter, dead on my feet the next day with miles to walk. Drugs provided an escape sometimes, there was sometimes a party going on I knew about, and I recklessly spent what little I had on party drugs.

My 'friends' didn't help, even though they could see I was unwashed and smelly.

And that is only because they didn't have it in them. I don't judge them, but they could have done better.

If someone sacked up at my door and said "I'm fucked, I need a place to stay for a few days" I'd do it. People can be so variable.

Trust nobody, sad but true.

[linda6666]

Im sorry i have no posh words to use, but i do know a little about debt. Not caused by my drinking days but by a failed marriage to a man who would rather spend money on football season tickets and nights out with the lads than pay bills..
So when it came time for our relationship to end, most of the debts where in my name due to him being pretty useless with stuff like everyday living , so when things needed signing i always signed.

But come my divorce i found all these debts in my name and it was OMG what do i do now?
My solicitor who was dealing with my divorce gave me some good words of advice (over 7 year ago) and i still use these words as law now.

I owed £1200 rent arrears and faced loosing my home, i got a court order to attend court, and to say i was loosing the plot was an understatement, but i went along with my solicitor and the judge that day threw out any demands from my local council for silly amounts and said i had to pay £3.00 per week out of my benefit, now i know this sounds like it will take forever to pay, but now i am straight with my rent..

But she (solicitor) told me, never to worry about non urgent debt, like HP debt and things like that, because 99.99999999999 times they can do nothing about this, only keep sending letters (which i ignore) , also bailiffs (her hubby is a bailiff) and she gave me some god advice about these also, and i put this into practice one eve when they came calling she told me, to go to the door and go outside and speak to them outside, never inside, so i did just this, the fella asked me how i was going to pay the money i owed and i said "in a word, IM NOT" so he said so lets get this straight your refusing to pay? I said yes...He went away and sent the debt back to the company saying they could not get the money...
It does get annoying when they ring all the time, but most of time i just put phone down.
I know that they can not do anything to me or they would have done 7 years ago..

So panic is somthing i do not do... They can not get blood from a stone, and i do not have a money tree in my back garden
I wont let fat cats stress me out, stress = booze and i can ill afford that in both ways..
So they can whistle for their money where i am concerned, why just me should pay, when that baldly swine gets away with it NOT A CHANCE

[1sunworshipper]

Good on your Linda you are made of strong stuff and it just goes to show you if you get sound advice you can have the confidence to deal with the situation head on.

LB what a heart rendering post - thank you for sharing and fantastic to give hope to anyone that may find themselves in a similar situation. I must admit it does grate on me to see homeless people being ignored on the street. I always make a point of calling into Kentuky to buy a meal for one of them and have a chat. Wish I could do it for all of them. I never take a big issue though - not sure whether people realise that the homeless person has to pay for that and they only get a tiny share the rest making some business person rich out of other peoples misery.

[Boris Bike]

I must admit it does grate on me to see homeless people being ignored on the street. I always make a point of calling into Kentuky to buy a meal for one of them and have a chat. Wish I could do it for all of them.

Sometimes the government or specific councils say not to give money to the homeless, which I find unbearably cruel. Westminster council treat rough sleepers abominably. They tend to get the most of them (I imagine) as rough sleepers gravitate towards the centre of the city where there's more footfall of people they can approach (again, this is my assumption, I may be wrong).

I never take a big issue though - not sure whether people realise that the homeless person has to pay for that and they only get a tiny share the rest making some business person rich out of other peoples misery.

I buy a copy and also bung in another quid or two for the seller to keep. I don't know what their cut is, but I do know the bloke that runs The Big Issue (John Bird) has said some things about the homeless that I disagree with. I think he's another who says not to give money to the homeless, but he has a conflict of interest there, doesn't he?

Hmmm... just looked it up on Wikipedia and they directed me here:

http://www.bigissue.com/how-become-vendor

It says that the homeless buy the magazine for £1.25 and sell it for £2.50. So they get 50% which sounds OK to me.

[pokerbird]

I always buy 1, admire anyone struggling and trying to change it

[loosebanana]

The only bad stories I heard about the big issue were to do with in-fighting and rivalry, someone with a good pitch doing well, someone else hardly selling any and standing around all day in misery, building resentment.

It also makes you wonder, when you see the same person selling it a year later, whether it has actually helped them. If you were desperate would you clean toilets for 40 hours a week? I would.

It's hard to get a place to live when you have absolutely nothing, but it's not impossible. That's why we have a welfare system. I just found it took a lot of legwork and persistence.

[Ed]

Here are some slightly alternative alternatives:

If anyone is desperately in need of somewhere to stay I would suggest signing up to the couchsurfing website. I had lots of people stay with me and Ive used it a few times whilst travelling. Not ideal to still be drinking but if you are really stuck you will always find someone somewhere to help you out for a couple of nights...or maybe more.

www.couchsurfing.org


If you have hit rock bottom and dont know where to go or what to do I would suggest trying a 10 day vippassana course. No drinking or smoking and the rules are strictly enforced but you will be fed and watered for 10 days and it will give you the perspective you need to re-enter society. Not advised if you are likely to get the DTs.

http://www.dipa.dhamma.org/


Similarly wwoof or workaway.info. Both these sites can provide good boltholes throughout the world where you can be fed and watered for a few hours work a day. Generally in fresh air with open minded people. I would say that the city is the worst place to get yourself sorted with a drink problem.

[loosebanana]

Yes I know people who use that couch surfing site, but mainly overseas travellers coming here, and most people only offer a few nights really.

About the 50p breakfast, it was organised and subsidised by a local homeless charity and the church provided free space and volunteers. It was only twice a week, tuesdays and thursdays, but for many I expect it was the only hot meal they got. If you didn't have the 50p you weren't turned away. It was a small seaside town with a bad reputation for drugs and homelessness.

I didn't actually go there as I didn't live in the town, just used to sign on there and pop into the homeless place for tea and a biscuit and advice, but I thought it was a good thing to have going. Here you can get free tea and toast every morning 6 days a week, at the local drugs and alcohol centre.

I had bought a little solid fuel cooker and a small saucepan so could make soups and things, but not everyone on the streets can be that practical, I think it was being in the scouts that did it!

[MrsSuggs]

This is spooky, I haven't been on here for a while but logged in to share my recent debt experience and this was the first post I saw.

My debt problem started when I was off work sick for 3 months in 2008/2009 with a severe psoriasis flare following the death of my mum. I was only getting SSP from work but my bills were increased because I had to drive to the hospital 3 times a week for treatment, was having 2/3 baths a day to sooth my skin, paying out for prescriptions, heating bills increased because it was the winter months etc, etc. I got one loan which went pretty quickly, so got another, ran up an overdraft and a credit card on top of that. Before I knew it, I was robbing Peter to pay Paul, and for the last few years, I've been constantly worrying about making the payments and getting through the month.

It finally came to a head in January when a couple of the loan repayments weren’t paid as I’d reached the extent of my overdraft limit with the bank. My first thought was to bury my head in the sand and I was preparing for losing my house and moving in with my Dad.

One night, I decided to look on the internet for advice and came across the Consumer Credit Counselling Service website. What I liked about it was that it is all completely anonymous until you decide to take their advice. It is also completely FREE.

You simply complete an online form with your income and all your outgoings and, straight away they give you your debt solutions.

In my case, they advised going for a Debt Management Plan. Your budget includes all your priority payments (mortgage, utility bills, council tax etc) and even allows a small amount for hobbies etc. Whatever is left from your income after all these payments are taken into account, is shared between your creditors by way of an offer of reduced payment.

Once you’ve decided, you do have to supply them with some paperwork from your creditors but, from then on, the CCCS do everything. They contact your creditors, make the offer of payment, ask them to stop or reduce interest and charges and set up a direct debit so you pay the CCCS and they distribute it between the creditors.

They’ll even advise you on how to deal with phone calls and letters from your creditors and their advice line is excellent.

My plan is just in the process of being set up and, for the first time in a very long while, I’m relaxed about money. I have enough to live on and, as long as I budget carefully, can even afford the odd treat most months. When I say a treat, I mean going out for a cheap meal somewhere but at least it’s something and I haven’t been able to do it for the past few years. If all goes according to plan, I should be completely debt free in 4 years time and I get to keep my house!

There are consequences of course. Once you enter into the plan you can’t take out any more credit and your credit rating goes down and will be bad for 6 years after you pay off your debts but the consequences would be a lot worse if you do nothing and get further and further in debt.

But there’s also rewards – the peace of mind for one and, in my case, this has naturally led to a decrease in my drinking (a) because I simply can’t afford to drink like I was but (b) because I’ve got so much less stress, I’m not inclined to drink link I was. I still like a bottle of wine on a Friday and maybe a few beers on a Sunday to ease the drudge of doing the housework but, my drinking is now very much under control.

I honestly can’t recommend the CCCS enough and hope that if any of you are under real financial pressures, you’ll take a look at their website or give them a call – it could be the best thing you ever do!

Their website is www.cccs.co.uk

And a free helpline number is 0800 138 1111 which is open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am – 2pm on Saturdays.

Good luck

[loosebanana]

Great post, and shows that it can be done.

What I hate are all the adverts for things like pay day loans and 'instant cash 4u'. Nothing but sharks in my opinion.

At the SMART group I go to a young lad had been on a recent relapse and was getting pay day loans even though he is on benefits, that is disgusting. They know they can get their money through the benefits system eventually via an 'attachment to earnings' and someone somewhere is getting rich through these scandalous schemes.

In some ways it's good not to be able to obtain credit, this country has been sold down the river with the easy availability of credit, even to the very poorest.

The 'live now pay later' mentality.

People get into debt for all sorts of reasons, I am glad I cannot get credit (not that I try), as long as I can pay my bills and I have food and shelter I am happy.

The astonishing thing I found was that I had a big cheque, a nice one, and went into high street banks to get an account and a debit card, said I don't want credit, they all said no! Seems that they only want you if you are going to be in debt to them, thereby paying in nicely.

Bunch of charlatans!

Rant over!

[MrsSuggs]

I completely agree with you loosebanana, I know we all have to take responsibility for our debts but it is too easy if you ask me.

Because I have an overdraft with my old bank, the CCCS advised me to change bank accounts (otherwise, when they realise you're in financial difficulty, they can take your salary to go towards paying off your debt).

I was completely honest with the new bank and told them all about the debt management plan. I was still authorised an overdraft of £1,000 and felt pressurised into taking it, although in the end I agreed to £250. When the confirmation letter came through, I immediately phoned up and cancelled the overdraft facility.

I also had to write to my creditors to advise them I was entering into the debt management plan and I enclosed a small cheque to each as a token payment until the plan was set up. The cheque from one particular company was cashed so I know they received it, yet a few days later, I got a letter from them saying that, as I had a loan with them, would I like to top it up?

It's unbelievable really. Obviously, I probably wouldn't have got far if I'd actually applied for a top up but even so, it's far too easy to get credit in a lot of cases.

[loosebanana]

That's just crazy isn't it? They know you have money problems but offer you a £1000 overdraft? I bet countless people would be rubbing their hands with glee.

The only things I miss out on are that I can't order things online, it's also a bit tricky paying for a hotel or something without a card, but I manage.

I enjoy a simpler life, where I don't have nasty letters arriving.

It's a bit boring, but it's safe.

If I really wanted to there are loads of prepaid credit cards available.

[MrsSuggs]

Exactly, some people would see that as another life-line and go for it.

I was fortunate in some ways that I opened a new account before my credit rating went down so I was able to get a standard debit card but there are a lot of banks that offer Cash Card current accounts. You can have direct debits and standing orders on the account and a lot of them give you a Visa debit card although in a lot of cases, you can only use it in their branch ATMs and post offices but it does mean that you can pay for things like hotels on it. Of course, you have to have funds in the account to do that but sometimes it's a false economy to only be able to pay for things by cash as you miss out on online offers. As long as you're disciplined, these accounts can work really well.

I've completely changed my spending habits through necessity. I keep a rolling 12 month budget on a spreadsheet so I can see if I'm likely to get into difficulty (for instance on 5 week months) and can adjust my spending long before it happens. Rather than drawing out money willy nilly and then struggle from mid-month, I get my weekly allowance out on a Friday then leave the debit card at home for the rest of the week. I deduct the electric (pay meter) and bus fare and divide what's left by 7 and give myself a daily allowance and that's all I take out with me every day.

Every evening, if there's anything left out of my daily allowance it goes into my 'treat pot' and so far (I've only been doing it for a couple of months!) I've been able to take my Dad out for pie and mash or a Toby carvery at the end of the month. It gives me something to look forward to and makes me feel better because my Dad takes me out for something to eat a couple of times a month and I'm glad that I can treat him back.

I know I'm still in the very early stages and I'll probably soon get bored with being so frugal but I feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I'm paying just over £350 per month for my debt management plan and I know that, in 4 years time, I'll be debt free. It's my intention to go part time then so it's really giving me something to work towards.

Sorry, I sound like I'm preaching but I'm just so relieved!

[loosebanana]

£350 a month is a lot, I assume your mortgage is separate, but if that includes everything then at least it's all rolled into one.

Just don't make the mistake I did, I got straightened out and suddenly got a well paid job, a brand new cheque book and visa card, and I went crazy. Oops!

When the job finished and the money had gone I was in deep doo doo.

It got so bad I shovelled £80 in a fruit machine and got drunk and ended up crying.

I had my own limited company at the time, eventually I faced up to it, they had frozen my company bank account because of unpaid taxes.

I decided to deal with it, and phoned companies house, they were very helpful and said this is just a matter of course, we will close it down, you aren't a big fish. We will write it off.

I can't tell you how much a weight off my mind that was.