[Solved] Bedroom Tax

Hi there and welcome 🙂

I do feel for you bax1933...the welfare reforms, reforms to the legal aid system, and yes the Bedroom tax will all start to bite soon and the less fortunate amongst are are set to suffer!

Have you telephoned the Council to discuss the fact that you have shared Residency on a 50/50 basis, as your two children are over the age of 7 (I think thats the cut off age for bedroom sharing?) and are different sexes they are entitled to their own bedroom... I must admit my knowledge on who is exempt is limited, but I believe there will be extra funding for exceptions and it might apply to people in your position....its worth looking in to. The Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to advise you on this.

I understand how you must be feeling but its just plain wrong of you to think you are a burden, how would your kids feel if they heard you talking like that? They love you so much and I bet you they think their world is a better place because you are in it! I think the worry of it all is making you depressed and when that happens things can seem much worse...if you continue to feel really low, go and have a word with your GP, theres help out there for you, but you need to ask.

Best of luck with it all 🙂

Hi Bax
this is a horrible position to be in and I fear there are hundreds if not thousands like your self. It seems the way they decided who does not have to pay is the parent with the child benefit, for years this has been unfair and I remember ending up out of work and still being expected to live and continue with contact on the same level and then being told to move house as i was in a two bedroomed and they wouldnt pay the council tax, it was a very hard time and I can fully understand how you feel. Write to your local MP and council I know it wont do much good at the moment but the more people write and explain there suffering then maybe they will start to listen . I know its hard but use every day like you are working , I got up early and showered and dressed just like I was going to work and my day became like I was working i worked at looking for a job i searched and searched , sent off my CV , altererd it to suit the position , think out of the box, think what you can offer what your strengths are, mine wewre I love to organise and plan . I went on as many free courses I could , ask at the job centre and search the net, some college courses are free. please dont give up and come on here, we are hear to listen and help if we can ..

Hi Bax,

As already said you wouldn't be a burdon on anyone and most of what your feeling is in your head, and from experience your head makes everything a million times worse than it is.

As already suggested talk to the council, talk to CAB and talk to your doctor, your doctor will be able to help and give you some advice about how you are feeling.

also talk here and share how you feel.

Darren

still waiting for reply from the council, my ex told the police 2 yrs ago about my Failed attempt and wanted to get me sectioned, went to hospital and they said it was down to the break up of the marrage and the loss of job, got tablets off the Doc but their still in the box supposed to see some other phyco but never went .
I looked on my Daughters FB page and looked through pictures of family that she put on !! no mention of mebut found her parents are the Ex and her girlfriend.
there is 19 yr age diff between us ( me being the oldest ) I moved to her town in 98 and we married in 2003 I found out she was seeing someone 23/12/09 . She divorced me in june 2010.so the only people I know are her friends. so the house is my prison full of memories, I've still kept her name on the rent book , I know I need to let go but cant. night times are the worst and I used to find myself crying in asda just because I was shopping for one and not as a family.
I've said more than I would normaly say I'm a one to bottle every thing up sorry.

Hi bax 🙂

Thanks for coming back and telling us a bit more about yourself....I appreciate how hard it is for you to open up and share your thoughts and feelings on an open forum. We are here for you and no one will judge you, if anything we respect your honesty and courage and just want to help.

At 11yrs old your daughter has no real understanding of the impact her FB profile might have on you, and I doubt it has occured to her that you would even visit her page. I wouldnt take it to heart as I'm sure the last thing she would want is to hurt you. If you are on Facebook you could post a photo of you and her and tag her in it. Its good that she gets on with her mums new partner though isnt it, can you imagine how unhappy she would be if she had to live in the same house with someone she didnt get on with.

You know depression is more common than you think, and also very treatable... from what you say you must have been feeling like this for over three years, since the breakdown of your marriage. I understand that its difficult for you to talk but you've taken the first step here by talking to us, lets build on that bax, I think you realize things need to change and you need to start feeling better and letting go of the hurt. Its time isnt it....

So please bax, go and see your GP and talk to him, a combination of medication and counselling could really help, and give you the impetus you need to get you back into the swing of things again.

We care and we want to help bax 🙂

no the government dont care about the average bloke in the street.
bedroom tax is so i believe (facebook campaign) only applicable to empty rooms over 70 square foot
the advice on face book is
1 put partition walls in thus reducing square footage ie an 80 suare foot foom becomes 2 40 ft square rooms therefore exempt tax
2 built in wardrobes reduce square footage

as for not being here in this unforgiving world dont try to take your own life , it is the last resort and those that get left behind hurt forever think of your children having that knowledge for the rest of their lives

I am unemployed living to a budget so tight that what live on a week a working person would spend on a take away on a sat night.
i have twice cracked up and attempted suicide in the last 6 months , first time i took 140 paracetamol with a bottle of vodka , and looked at the pics of my children on the wall and dialled 999 had i left in 10 more minutes i would not be here.
spent 6 days in hospital.
second time near christmas i slit my wrists just as my ex had reported me to the police as being a danger to my self, so after medical treatment i was arrested for a breach of the peace and spent time in the cells not a good experience.
both my wrists have pronounced scars which are visible to all and i see them all the time and my children ask me how i got them, not an easy thing to explain to them that daddy was so desperate he wanted to die.
SO DONT DO IT , THERE IS ALWAYS AN ANSWER , talk to the SAMARITANS , they will listen wont phone you back but will listen nothing you can say to them will shock them. Talk to friends be frank and honest with them they probably only see you happy. If you are not on facebook , join it there are loads of cool discussion groups and people post some poignant and funny sayings on it and you will get a group of friend who have been there and triumphed ,
if you need someone to talk to you can talk to me and we could swap war stories about life the universe and everthing
all the best . jon