Budgeting Loans

[Scouserlad]

Hi

 

I am been repossessed and moving into a council house. I have asked for a budgeting loan to help with moving costs. I need to buy new cooker and fridge as they are built into my kitchen in my current home. I have been told I can have a £312.00 budging loan which is not enough anybody got any idea’s what I can do

Regards

John

[Emma1973]

You can appeal, details will be on the letter you have been sent.

 

How much do you think will be enough? Surely you can get all those items for less than £312?

[Scouserlad]

Hi

 

I also need to use it for moving costs as i am unable to do this my self due to illness

 

regards

John

[Pinkbows]

Hi John,

 

You can ring and confirm with them, but i was advised re moving costs to wait until three days (i think) before the moving day, get two quotes and use these quotes and apply for a crisis loan as if applied within few days before, then will be recieved on/before the day to pay for the removals.

 

I needed help when we moved, (long story) and i was told to apply for the budgeting loan as soon as able to help with the house (in right state) and then to wait closer the time for moving expenses. I then found out on the Tuesday morning i was now moving on the next day/Friday, so rang for advice. Was told to ring on the Thursday which was the soonest i could have the quotes from removal companies, and apply over the phone, taking the quotes into the office and they then help with providing a crisis loan of the smaller quote. In the end i had to go and pick up the giro Friday lunchtime half way through moving, and you do still have to pay these back which is started after have finished paying back the budgeting loan - but this helped greatly and was very grateful as now, a year on, we are in a new (suitable) home for my son.

 

They really are quite nice (well most lol) but you can ring them and explain and they should be able to set everything up ready for you.

 

Good luck with the moving day, and i can be pm'ed if need any more help with these as i have some experience with crisis/budgeting loans.

 

Sarah

 

Edit; Just thought also, as you mentioned illness, depending upon which/if any benefit you are on and the reasons for moving, you may be able to apply for a 'Community Care Grant' for the moving costs/help with home, and these are not repayed - although i dont know much about these.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Pinkbows
Add info,

[sweets-on-the-move]

hi john the loans system is designed to releive pressure on the individual or the family by the sounds of this u have been under severe pressure.with loans for items i e cooker they only allow a certain amount .they know that a simple cooker u can get for 150 pound .you may have been better asking for a comunity care grant and if u satisfy the criteria then u dont pay it back .if u dont they automaticly consider a budgeting loan .in your loan pack did you not fill in the part on moving home and supply 2 quotes . also have u accepted the loan if so u can within 28 days ask for a reveiw .if not then u cant ask for a reveiw as there is nothing to reveiw . i still think the community care grant was the best option for you under the severe pressure also ur illness criteria .you must be on income support as u got the loan offer.but im not led to beleive that u need to be on d l a for the community care grant as prisoners who have left custody can apply for a community care grant.there is an expert on here who has more brains than me.she knows the job inside out .

[ErikaPNP]

Okay. Budgeting Loans. £348.00 - I think you are a single person, and that you do not receive child benefit, and that you have no current budgeting loan debt. Reason I say that is budgeting loans have a limit of what they can offer a person depending on their circumstances. £348.00 is the current limit for a Budgeting Loan for a single person, so you can ask for a review - you cannot appeal as budgeting loans are not subject to appeal. A review is not an appeal, it is a review of the decision by a reviewing officer in Social Fund, and if you still don't agree then you can go to the Independent Review Service. However as £348.00 is the limit, a review whether by Social Fund or the IRS cannot overturn the decision.

 

What you can do, is apply for a Community Care Grant. (CCG) To satisfy the benefit criteria for a Community Care Grant you need to be in receipt of one of an income based benefit from DWP. Rather than confuse you, I'll just say that if you qualified for the budgeting loan then you will be receiving the right benefit to satisfy the qualifying benefit criteria of a Commumity Care Grant. You do NOT have to be receiving a disability based benefit, as is often misunderstood, but if you do happen to suffer from a disability, this can help you with a Community Care Grant. Being on a qualifying benefit is not enough to qualify for a CCG, other criteria also has to be satisfied. A CCG is designed to assist people to settle in the community after an unsettled way of life (Example - people being released from prison setting up home, or someone who has been homeless setting up home), to prevent someone from leaving the community (Example - going into care when they could continue in the community with the financial assistance) or to relieve exceptional pressure. I will pre warn you though. As it is for moving costs, you will not receive a CCG unless you have a tenancy agreement and a moving date. For removal costs it would also be helpful if you could provide estimates from removal companies.

 

Hope this is useful.

[sweets-on-the-move]

agree with erika pnp put just right she is the brains on these matters