[Evaluna]

I'd been feeling rotten but was slowly starting to pick myself up. However today I came home to a letter from the council telling me my help with housing costs have been reduced from £240 a month to £8. I'd been doing some overtime and so now it's been decided that because I've earned just over the threshold it's been reduced to almost nothing.

I literally have no idea what I can do. I understand the reasoning behind it and there are rules etc but I'm going to be left with nothing left at the end of a month with a 7yo who is growing way too fast and needs a computer for school which I don't have.

I've been sat in the kitchen for half an hour almost in a state of shock. I feel like I want to cry but nothing will come out. How am I going to manage on my own with no family to help? Childcare is so expensive in the holidays and they get 13 weeks off a year and I get 5.

I feel I'm back to square one. I just don't know how to cope with everything. It's a huge mess and I'm not mentally strong enough to deal with it right now.

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[basicgoodness]

I'm sorry you have suffered this setback, Evaluna. I have a friend who lives in subsidized housing and she is careful not to make enough money to disqualify her. Perhaps you can reduce your hours to get your housing subsidy back?

[ShineYourLight]

I like how you used "right now" "im not strong enough to deal with it right now" that tells me there is still ALOT of hope inside of you. You have to learn how to cope. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. In order too do these things you have to litterally right when your done reading this say "f*** it" and start accepting the good and the bad. We arent like most. we are different having to go through theses experiences. You will seem normal again but this time STRONGER. message me if you need more help

[Fizzyo]

I really feel for you Evaluna, this trap where you dare not earn more but don't earn enough. Is there a way to appeal if you can show you don't regularly earn that amount, or do you need to avoid overtime hours, or the hours you get paid for in one go? If you don't have to do overtime regularly, is it possible legally to spread them over a few months so you put a few on your time sheet each month not to go over the threshold? A bit like annualised contracts for people who don't work so much in School Holidays, but get their pay spread equally through the year? Maybe an email to your local Citizens Advice Beureau would give you an answer (doesn't help this month though).

Good luck with the future, and I hope no more nasty surprises for a good long while!