Money! Aargh!!

[trelfy1]

Since my 1st haemmorhage back in May, I've been lucky enough that my workplace has continued paying my full wage but as it's now coming up to almost 4 months off ill they've informed me that they're going to stop at the end of this week. How do people cope on statutory sick pay? A trip to citizens advice is needed I think!

[Kirk5w7]

Damn near impossible !

[Sem2011]

yes CIB or Headway will be able to advise you on the benefits you will be entitled to. Depending upon your home and family circumstances, and how long your recovery will be, you could be entitled to PIP (I believe this is now in place of DLA), and reduction in council tax. headway visited me any applied for benefits. Good luck x

[Hidden]

hi

you can do a benefit check at gov.uk/benefits-calculators to see if you qualify for extra financial help

[Flumptious]

To be honest, I don't remember at all (as it is lost in the hazy memory after my accident). The same thing happened to me, and so I was on the statutory stuff for a year (until I was well enough to go back to work - they kept the job open, thankfully).

[gr33nmind]

When you are faced wt almost any financial problem, it can be handled. It requires both some financial assistance, and being much more careful wt your money. I somehow am just barely surviving on my social security, but it is possible. I actually used to even have a small amount of money saved, before the recent cuts in food stamps. I am glad that my medicine is fully covered, because I don't know how I could afford it otherwise. I might be able to still manage it, but it would require eating a much less healthy diet.

[Danslatete]

Make sure you get the correct advice, they benefits office are not too good at making sure you get everything you could be able to.

Make sure you make use of all insurance policies on any loans and credit you may have taken out.

Don't panic. We lost all the so called trappings like house and cars and motorbike etc. we were homeless and my oh had to do an iva to service any left over debt.

Thankfully we got thru the other side and are doing ok.

It did make us reassess what was important in life but it was no joke having a massive drop in income from over £2500 a month to £80 a week initially.

[SAMBS in reply to Danslatete]

That's almost where we were at Danslatete, when 2nd son left to go to Uni. Didn't lose house, but everything else. Were 5 yrs in IVA's. Sold business to family member, I took other work for 6 years - we sold house, cleared debts, moved here to france, knowing we could not exist on pension income alone in UK. Relationship still not good - guess that's all mostly reason I then left him and had SAH weeks after!

As you said, it is possible to survive on lower income - and its amazing what rubbish we buy in supermarkets that are not essential.

1st question when shopping - DO I NEED IT?

2nd Question - DO I WANT IT?

If ans to Q1 is NO and Answer to Q2 is YES - then don't buy it?

I still use that philosophy today. If answers are reversed I buy it - fortunately Weetabix and milk, relatively are cheap, even out here where shopping is far more expensive on the euro!

PS I think I got all my age timings mixed up from earlier reply on another post to you - my sons are currently 47 and 45 yrs old but both went to uni at age 18.

[mikep129]

I'd really appreciate a bit of translation here.

IVA?

SAH?

I may need to understand this stuff but I'm floundering a bit.

Thanks

[Danslatete in reply to mikep129]

Iva is a financial thing were you pay off your debt in manageable amount and they write a chunk of it off.

I can't remember what it stands for though.

Sah is a bleed on the brain, sub arachnoid(?) hemorrage.

[Hidden in reply to Danslatete]

IVA is an Individual voluntary arrangement it is an alternative to Bankruptcy

[mikep129]

Thanks guys.