Hi, I just wanted to thank everyone who took the time to respond - your help was greatly appreciated. I have decided to continue with my internet project. I have been told by people that in the future they may advertise on my site, but if that does happen, I will obviously tell the DWP and the Council. I am also going to write to the DWP and Council up front, just to tell them that I have an internet site which is a hobby but I don't make any money from it... I think it is better to be up front about it because at least in the future if a problem does arise, I will be able to prove that I have been honest and open with them. Thanks again for your help and best wishes to you all N.

Hello, I was diagnosed with schizophrenia in May 2008 and have been signed off since December 2007, receiving Income Support and Housing Benefit. I have attended several interviews at my Job Centre where the lady suggested I do some form of voluntary work as a therapeutic aid to my condition. I did not want to do voluntary work as it meant leaving the house, so instead I set up an online magazine about travel and food with the help of my friend. I used to work as a journalist when I was well, and I have a stockpile of articles and photographs. I wanted something to do in my spare time. However, a friend recently commented that my online magazine contains my name and looks very commercial and warned that if the DWP and Housing Benefit found out, they could mistakenly think I was committing benefit fraud. An advertising agency has now linked to my magazine and their website is full of expensive advertising rates. This has caused me a lot of alarm, as it looks like I am the editor of a luxury, expensive magazine with lots of ad revenue. When in fact, the whole thing is a hobby and I have not made a penny out of the business, as my bank account will prove. However, I am worried that I am already being investigated. It is simply a hobby and although I would have liked to make money out of it, I haven't. If I did make money, I would have stopped my benefits immediately. Does anyone know what I should do? I don't want to remove my magazine from the internet because it took a long time to create and has received many good comments. It has also been very helpful dealing with my condition as it has occupied my time and helped me be more creative. However, I don't want to lose my benefits and be taken to court for suspected benefit fraud when, in reality, I haven't committed this. Please help. Many thanks

Hi, Thank you for your response. All the debts are about 2 years old, and they are all personal debts, not attached to my business. I took them all out between October 2005 and March 2006, but I lost my entire business overnight (I simply got up one day and could not work). Of course I want to do something about my loans, but the medication for schizophrenia leaves me very tired and I cannot think properly half the time. My only source of income now is Housing Benefit and Incapacity Benefit, and it's certainly just enough to live on and will not clear these loans. Various debt collections have been pursuing me but by telephone only as they do not know my new address and I don't want to tell them it. I feel extremely unwell most of the time due to my illness, but I have been getting the most awful phone calls from a company called Allied International in Glasgow. If I was well enough, I could probably accept what they are saying, but their phone calls just fill me with horror. Most of the other debt collection agencies are courteous and reasonably nice, but these people have to be the most horrid people I have ever spoken to. Their staff don't seem to want to help me with my debt, but simply want to rub my nose in it. Most of their phone calls start along the lines "So Mr XXXX, are you going to try and evade me today. It's very clear that you can hear me, even though you keep saying the line is bad and you can't hear me." (my mobilephone signal in my house is genuinely quite poor and I have difficulty accepting calls) Every single time this person phones, his manner is very abrupt and aggressive and he says all these things that aren't even relevant. My friend answered my phone the other day, and he started shouting at him down the phone "what right do you have to answer Mr XXXX's phone?" Allied International have threatened me with enforced bankruptcy. I don't really understand this and how it can be done. I think if I was well, I could live with being contacted by this agency, but because I am not well, I am finding it very difficult to pull myself together. I don't know what to do and can't see any solution. Does anyone please have any ideas about whether I can be forced into bankruptcy, or what possible options I have given everything I have said here? I don't want to hide away from my debts, but I genuinely feel so ill because of my health problems. Thank you.

Hello, I am new here and wanted to write for advice as I am extremely worried about my debts. I owe Natwest £10k on a loan, plus £2.5k on a credit card and another £2k on an overdraft. I had a business 2 years ago, but I lost all my work because I became ill (was diagnosed with schizophrenia). Am now on benefits and living elsewhere, but still gets phone calls by the DCAs. The bank don't know my address and the DCAs only phone through my mobile. I don't quite know what to do. I have payment protection on my loan if I was ill, but because of the nature of my illness, I stopped communicating with them when I moved house. What should I do? Can I be forced into bankruptcy?