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[groundhog]

Hello again,

One thing that does spring to mind - could you use your savings to supplement your income ?  I know this is not ideal as presumably you need your savings intact to facilitate the move back.  But at the moment it's important you get mentally stronger and your main source of worry is losing your home.  How do you pay your rent now?  If you managed to get a job then maybe that would help your confidence - even though the wages aren't enough - with the help of your savings maybe you could get through?  When you are in  a better place mentally you may feel stronger about making big decisions on your future.  I presume all your family is in Canada?
Yes the capital limit for housing benefit is £16,000 for non pensioners.  Are you entitled to any disability benefits because of your ill health ( some of which you can continue to receive whilst in work eg DLA  or PIP as it's now called.   
At least you have some savings and you know that is there as your buffer - surely it's better to dip in than staying in various houses with various friends - you don't need that.
When is your interview?

[Greenfields]

Hello again,

One thing that does spring to mind - could you use your savings to supplement your income ?  I know this is not ideal as presumably you need your savings intact to facilitate the move back.  But at the moment it's important you get mentally stronger and your main source of worry is losing your home.  How do you pay your rent now?  If you managed to get a job then maybe that would help your confidence - even though the wages aren't enough - with the help of your savings maybe you could get through?  When you are in  a better place mentally you may feel stronger about making big decisions on your future.  I presume all your family is in Canada?
Yes the capital limit for housing benefit is £16,000 for non pensioners.  Are you entitled to any disability benefits because of your ill health ( some of which you can continue to receive whilst in work eg DLA  or PIP as it's now called.   
At least you have some savings and you know that is there as your buffer - surely it's better to dip in than staying in various houses with various friends - you don't need that.
When is your interview?

Interview is in about 30 minutes.
Don't qualify for PIP - you need to have spent 2 of the last 3 years in the UK - and I only got back to UK last year.
Not entitled to any other benefits - CAB person said I'm a unique case.
Yes I probably will have to use savings to supplement costs.
Had to pay 6 months rent up front in March this year - otherwise I could not have stayed in my present place.
Am just struggling emotionally a lot at the moment - but after the exam and interview this afternoon, I am going to rest and go to bed very early.

[honeybun]

Let us know how it went.


Honeybun
X

[Annie0710]

I get you re: housing

OH and I always had a mortgage from our teens with past relationships and although I have a good credit history, OH doesn't because of his divorce so now our only option is private renting, we have no dependants so are put to the back of the queue for social housing and I don't earn enough to qualify for a mortgage plus us being late 40s the deposit is 21k

We pay 740.00 pcm for an old peoples 2 bed bungalow which is tiny

I worry about the day when neither of us can work how we'll manage to pay these rents, the annoying thing is we never default yet a mortgage would be cheaper repayments

Good luck with your interview, I'm a believer that whatever will be, will be, and that your opportunity to move/settle will become apparent to you in due course, keeping your options open will help

Annie xx

[Greenfields]

Thank you for these kind comments - I really need them.

I got through the interview okayish I think - I did well enough not to come across as a complete 'no' I think.

But there was an exam text before hand and I completely messed that one up - it was on a computer and the Word package was different from the format I'm used to - it was the design where it looks like the world wide web at the top and you pick an icon - eg tables and draw them.  Whereas I'm familiar with the Word package where it's a pull down menu and less intuitive. 

The test itself involved reading the minutes of this meeting and correcting them and then doing a table stating who was to follow up on what (in terms of actions). I also had to write an email to someone senior who had not submitted a report by a deadline.

I managed the email but didn't finish the minutes of the meeting exercise and the table I drew with the text inside wasn't very good either .... - so I'm pretty sure I haven't done well enough to be considered as a large part of the job involves that kind of work.

I was given 30 minutes for the test and I know I was slow - and nervous.

At the interview I asked about the "team" of people doing this role and it turns out that this post is f/t and the only other person who works on it is p/t - so thats the team.  So I can see it would be a lot of work and very busy - which isn't, I think, something I'm up to at the moment.

However the salary wasn't what I thought it would be for the work involved (19.7K).

I've applied for 2 other positions there which pay less - one 18,772 f/t and the other 17,622 f/t.

My last job paid me 18,120 and I was barely scraping by because the rent and bills consumed well over 75% of my income - but I also did have to pay 80 pounds petrol in commuting costs a month too - and so the commuting costs for these posts I've applied for would be less.

I've decided if I don't get offered 1 of the 3 positions I've applied for, I'm going to leave it till I've seen my Dr on 13th July and then, depending on how I am then, I will, if I can, book a trip to Canada.  If I can manage that and come back okay and am able to move back, then I will.

If I can't manage a trip to Canada in July, then I will apply for carer work locally - there is a lot of that here - it involves driving around to people's homes - but it doesn't pay very well and the hours are long (I think).  I might look into doing it p/t before July 13th (I guess) ... I'll see how I am the next few days.  I still feel very shaky at the moment. 


 

[Greenfields]

I get you re: housing

OH and I always had a mortgage from our teens with past relationships and although I have a good credit history, OH doesn't because of his divorce so now our only option is private renting, we have no dependants so are put to the back of the queue for social housing and I don't earn enough to qualify for a mortgage plus us being late 40s the deposit is 21k

We pay 740.00 pcm for an old peoples 2 bed bungalow which is tiny

I worry about the day when neither of us can work how we'll manage to pay these rents, the annoying thing is we never default yet a mortgage would be cheaper repayments

Good luck with your interview, I'm a believer that whatever will be, will be, and that your opportunity to move/settle will become apparent to you in due course, keeping your options open will help

Annie xx

I could manage a deposit of 21K - the problem I have is that the cheapest 1 bedroom flat around where I live is 150K ... so there's no way I could get a mortgage at 51 to pay off the remaining balance before retirement - particularly on jobs with salaries of around 18K.

I worry constantly about homelessness 

Someone today told me they wouldn't let me be homeless and they said I could stay with them but it's a constant damn worry and I cannot see the situation getting any better in the UK - it's so stressful when you're ill and on your own.  I know I'm a lot better than I was but I'm still not 100% well and so it's really hard.

[Annie0710]

I get you re: housing

OH and I always had a mortgage from our teens with past relationships and although I have a good credit history, OH doesn't because of his divorce so now our only option is private renting, we have no dependants so are put to the back of the queue for social housing and I don't earn enough to qualify for a mortgage plus us being late 40s the deposit is 21k

We pay 740.00 pcm for an old peoples 2 bed bungalow which is tiny

I worry about the day when neither of us can work how we'll manage to pay these rents, the annoying thing is we never default yet a mortgage would be cheaper repayments

Good luck with your interview, I'm a believer that whatever will be, will be, and that your opportunity to move/settle will become apparent to you in due course, keeping your options open will help

Annie xx

I could manage a deposit of 21K - the problem I have is that the cheapest 1 bedroom flat around where I live is 150K ... so there's no way I could get a mortgage at 51 to pay off the remaining balance before retirement - particularly on jobs with salaries of around 18K.

I worry constantly about homelessness 

Someone today told me they wouldn't let me be homeless and they said I could stay with them but it's a constant damn worry and I cannot see the situation getting any better in the UK - it's so stressful when you're ill and on your own.  I know I'm a lot better than I was but I'm still not 100% well and so it's really hard.

It's a desperate situation for people that don't fall into 'needy' categories , and I mean that in a nice way

Annie xx

[Chi chi]

Do you have any family/friends in Canada? Are you originally from there?

[Greenfields]

Do you have any family/friends in Canada? Are you originally from there?

I have an ex-partner in Canada but that's all.  I do have some friends from university and yoga teaching there - but I don't think they are the kind of friends who I can put on if that makes sense.  I have one friend in her 70's who is lovely and would put me up but she has a very badly behaved dog so it's actually quite stressful staying there - even though she's lovely. But I would need to be really well to stand the stress of another international move - and then there's the problem of getting work ...

I have family in this country - but they are completely unsupportive ...

The thing is you need a lot of energy to start over and to be in another country - and I don't think I've got that completely at the moment.  But staying in the UK is extremely difficult with the horrible housing situation.

[Greenfields]

I get you re: housing

OH and I always had a mortgage from our teens with past relationships and although I have a good credit history, OH doesn't because of his divorce so now our only option is private renting, we have no dependants so are put to the back of the queue for social housing and I don't earn enough to qualify for a mortgage plus us being late 40s the deposit is 21k

We pay 740.00 pcm for an old peoples 2 bed bungalow which is tiny

I worry about the day when neither of us can work how we'll manage to pay these rents, the annoying thing is we never default yet a mortgage would be cheaper repayments

Good luck with your interview, I'm a believer that whatever will be, will be, and that your opportunity to move/settle will become apparent to you in due course, keeping your options open will help

Annie xx

I could manage a deposit of 21K - the problem I have is that the cheapest 1 bedroom flat around where I live is 150K ... so there's no way I could get a mortgage at 51 to pay off the remaining balance before retirement - particularly on jobs with salaries of around 18K.

I worry constantly about homelessness 

Someone today told me they wouldn't let me be homeless and they said I could stay with them but it's a constant damn worry and I cannot see the situation getting any better in the UK - it's so stressful when you're ill and on your own.  I know I'm a lot better than I was but I'm still not 100% well and so it's really hard.

It's a desperate situation for people that don't fall into 'needy' categories , and I mean that in a nice way

Annie xx

Yes it is desperate Annie and I wonder where it's all going to end up for me - I feel so overwhelmed by it at the moment.

[honeybun]

A carers job could be very stressful. I know I couldn't do what some of my mothers carers are required to do. I don't want to pour cold water on that idea but do you know what it involves. Of course a lot of people are fine with that kind of job.

Sorry the interview was not quite you had hoped but if it's not the job for you then something else will come along soon I'm sure.


Honeybun
X

[Greenfields]

A carers job could be very stressful. I know I couldn't do what some of my mothers carers are required to do. I don't want to pour cold water on that idea but do you know what it involves. Of course a lot of people are fine with that kind of job.

Sorry the interview was not quite you had hoped but if it's not the job for you then something else will come along soon I'm sure.


Honeybun
X

Yes I do know what it involves - many years ago I did some student nursing (didn't complete my training) so have experience doing personal care.

To be honest Honeybun I can't afford to be picky with jobs and, given the low salaries, I need to find something local as my last job was a commute and I was paying out 80 pounds in petrol a month on a salary of 18,120 - which was just not doable with my rental expenses. If I do a carers job I will have to drive a lot but I will get some money for the petrol which should help.

Am really hoping I get invited back for an interview for 1 of the other 2 posts I applied for at the place I went to today ... but will see next week.

[Dorothy]

So sorry to hear your situation.  I am currently in one room with stuff in storage and longing for my own front door, so I know a little of what you must be feeling, though my situation is nowhere near as tough as yours.  It's not about the house, but the 'home'!

Not sure if this is any help but have you considered maybe a houseboat or static caravan?  Or a live-in position?

It sounds as if you have made some good friends if they are promising you a home if the worst happens - are you able to talk to them about your situation and discuss options with them?  Sometimes it can help to talk things through with another person.

Hope you find a solution soon. x

[Greenfields]

So sorry to hear your situation.  I am currently in one room with stuff in storage and longing for my own front door, so I know a little of what you must be feeling, though my situation is nowhere near as tough as yours.  It's not about the house, but the 'home'!

Not sure if this is any help but have you considered maybe a houseboat or static caravan?  Or a live-in position?

It sounds as if you have made some good friends if they are promising you a home if the worst happens - are you able to talk to them about your situation and discuss options with them?  Sometimes it can help to talk things through with another person.

Hope you find a solution soon. x

Thanks Dorothy.  I was in 1 room before I rented my current flat - and it was very difficult (I had all my stuff with me).  I can't afford a houseboat or a static caravan.  A live-in position would be a possibility but at the moment I don't think I'm well enough.

The friend who promised me a room is a friend I met through the MIND support group I go to - she's very kind but not someone I've known that long so even though it's a really kind offer in extremis, it's not something I feel I can count on, particularly long term.

I think, if I'm not well enough to move back to Canada, I will try and renew the tenancy on my flat and hopefully get some kind of work locally which would then mean my savings won't go down as quickly.  In the long term, I think I will have to look at renting a room again if I stay in the UK as otherwise my savings are just going to decrease and decrease as the rents increase and increase.  This will mean getting rid of some belongings like furniture which people have given me but I can't see any other option - unless I get a very well paid job (not ruling that out but it's not on the horizon at the moment).

If I could find some nice people to rent from, I wouldn't mind renting a room ... it's just that I don't seem to have very good experiences in this area - too many people just want the money and not the tenant.  As you say, it's not about the house, it's about the sense of 'home."

[Dorothy]

Are there any 'leaders' in your support group - people you could ask for advice or even just a listening ear?  There are a number of charity/church-based groups that help people who don't fit into the usual 'categories' - it might be worth seeing if there is anything in your area.  Maybe Citizens Advice Bureau? 

Must be so hard for you having to make these decisions while you are still not fully recovered.