Hi all
I used to post on here whilst the and then while pregnant with my little girl who will be 3 next month; can't believe how time has flown!
I come seeking help, and please no judgemental remarks as I don't know if I can take it!
I always worked. From when I left high school in 05 to 2012 I have been in full time work. I had 6 months off with my dd and then went back to work until Sept 2014.
I had to leave work on medical grounds; I am currently under consultant care having variety of scans and xrays to try and find out the cause of my feet swelling. So far nothing is showing so it's a painful time with no clear solution.
As I worked, finances were kept under control. Admittedly I have a credit card, Littlewoods account and Virgin Media services at home which were always maintained properly. I also have a sofa on hire purchase.
I live with my dd's dad, who works 37 hours a week but on less than £14k a year. As a result I haven't been able to claim benefits. I tried ESA and they said I hadn't paid in enough contributions to be eligible.
Now the trouble starts.
I have a £1k debt on my credit card, £150 littlewoods and just under £2k on the sofa suite.
I get the tax credits and child benefit in my bank each week which is less than £80 weekly combined.
My partner gets paid £200 a week, and out of that pays rent (we get partial housing benefit), council tax, gas, electric, water, food and anything we need (clothes for dd etc). There's never anything left out of his wages.
I use tax credits and child benefit to pay my personal bills. Not what the money is for but my partner would only pay it otherwise and we'd swap a bill or two out.
I'm finding being off work really difficult. I'm struggling to fulfill my time and have found myself spending money that I don't have. It's never anything big, in fact it's usually things for my dd but nevertheless I know I shouldn't be doing it, yet can't stop.
My dd goes to nursery 15 hours a week funded by local authority. We just pay for her lunch and snacks which is £20 ish a month.
I am finding myself being very scatter brained which is really unlike me. I'm doing everything in the house fine, looking after dd fine and getting on with life in that respect but when it comes to money my brain stops.
My bank account is never in plus figures, getting letters saying what I owe despite having arranged weekly payments, and it brought me rock bottom.
I have trouble sleeping (it's now 1.30am and I'm wide awake) and when I'm not around dd I'm always crying.
And then the tax credits letter arrived.
I had the letter stating they have different information to what I gave them at renewal. I admittedly entered an incorrect amount online, and as soon as I realised I went back on and resubmitted with the correct information.
I never received any letters so assumed everything was fine.
I received our tax credit award for 14/15 and details were correct.
The letter I received last week now states that I said my partners income was £10k when it was in fact £13895. The £10k was the amount I initially did enter in confusion thinking I could out in an estimate. When his P60 arrived I went back online and put in the correct amount.
As our award for this year gave the correct incomes based on last year's income I assumed this was all done.
I got straight on the phone to them and they said they have no evidence of me ever giving them the correct figure, only the lower one. I told them I went back to amend it and they said the first figure given was the one they will go by.
As I never received a letter confirming the renewal I have no proof I actually submitted the right amount.
I'm now very mindful of the fact it's now December and we've been overpaid. I have to send our P60s which show the amounts they have, and based on what they've got I've committed fraud. All that's going trough my head now is the penalty we'll get, the lack of money we already have, and now the thought of being deemed unfit to be a mother and going to prison or getting a criminal record or having my dd took away. I worked in a school doing finance, and I'm ashamed of my situation.
I am at the point now where I just feel like saying I can't cope with money anymore and having someone take control of my finances until I feel able to do them myself. I just worry that admitting I can't cope with money will have adverse effects and that I'll have my dd taken off me.
Please help
I used to post on here whilst the and then while pregnant with my little girl who will be 3 next month; can't believe how time has flown!
I come seeking help, and please no judgemental remarks as I don't know if I can take it!
I always worked. From when I left high school in 05 to 2012 I have been in full time work. I had 6 months off with my dd and then went back to work until Sept 2014.
I had to leave work on medical grounds; I am currently under consultant care having variety of scans and xrays to try and find out the cause of my feet swelling. So far nothing is showing so it's a painful time with no clear solution.
As I worked, finances were kept under control. Admittedly I have a credit card, Littlewoods account and Virgin Media services at home which were always maintained properly. I also have a sofa on hire purchase.
I live with my dd's dad, who works 37 hours a week but on less than £14k a year. As a result I haven't been able to claim benefits. I tried ESA and they said I hadn't paid in enough contributions to be eligible.
Now the trouble starts.
I have a £1k debt on my credit card, £150 littlewoods and just under £2k on the sofa suite.
I get the tax credits and child benefit in my bank each week which is less than £80 weekly combined.
My partner gets paid £200 a week, and out of that pays rent (we get partial housing benefit), council tax, gas, electric, water, food and anything we need (clothes for dd etc). There's never anything left out of his wages.
I use tax credits and child benefit to pay my personal bills. Not what the money is for but my partner would only pay it otherwise and we'd swap a bill or two out.
I'm finding being off work really difficult. I'm struggling to fulfill my time and have found myself spending money that I don't have. It's never anything big, in fact it's usually things for my dd but nevertheless I know I shouldn't be doing it, yet can't stop.
My dd goes to nursery 15 hours a week funded by local authority. We just pay for her lunch and snacks which is £20 ish a month.
I am finding myself being very scatter brained which is really unlike me. I'm doing everything in the house fine, looking after dd fine and getting on with life in that respect but when it comes to money my brain stops.
My bank account is never in plus figures, getting letters saying what I owe despite having arranged weekly payments, and it brought me rock bottom.
I have trouble sleeping (it's now 1.30am and I'm wide awake) and when I'm not around dd I'm always crying.
And then the tax credits letter arrived.
I had the letter stating they have different information to what I gave them at renewal. I admittedly entered an incorrect amount online, and as soon as I realised I went back on and resubmitted with the correct information.
I never received any letters so assumed everything was fine.
I received our tax credit award for 14/15 and details were correct.
The letter I received last week now states that I said my partners income was £10k when it was in fact £13895. The £10k was the amount I initially did enter in confusion thinking I could out in an estimate. When his P60 arrived I went back online and put in the correct amount.
As our award for this year gave the correct incomes based on last year's income I assumed this was all done.
I got straight on the phone to them and they said they have no evidence of me ever giving them the correct figure, only the lower one. I told them I went back to amend it and they said the first figure given was the one they will go by.
As I never received a letter confirming the renewal I have no proof I actually submitted the right amount.
I'm now very mindful of the fact it's now December and we've been overpaid. I have to send our P60s which show the amounts they have, and based on what they've got I've committed fraud. All that's going trough my head now is the penalty we'll get, the lack of money we already have, and now the thought of being deemed unfit to be a mother and going to prison or getting a criminal record or having my dd took away. I worked in a school doing finance, and I'm ashamed of my situation.
I am at the point now where I just feel like saying I can't cope with money anymore and having someone take control of my finances until I feel able to do them myself. I just worry that admitting I can't cope with money will have adverse effects and that I'll have my dd taken off me.
Please help
