Looking Better Better

[FourPart]

The other day it suddenly dawned on me that while I had worked out that I had just enough savings left to see me through until the end of the month, when I get my first pay cheque, I had totally forgotten about the fact that I would now also be paying full Rent & Council Tax - just 2 weeks of which would use up my savings, so I got on to the bank to see if I could arrange an authorisation for an overdraft, so that any payments made in the meantime wouldn't be refused for Insufficient Funds. "No problem, we can arrange that", they said. "We just just need to see your past 3 months pay slips".

Well, duhh!! If I had 3 months pay slips I wouldn't be needing the overdraft to see me into a new job.

Anyway, I phoned up A4E who, as I expected, were a dead loss, apart from saying that they can cover my Travelling Expenses for the next 12 weeks, at 25p / mile which, in fairness is probably quite a bit more than the bike uses, but it's not really that much help.

Then I tried getting onto the Council to see if I could make arrangements to allow me to go into arrears with my Rent & Council Tax & pay it off in installments - but could I get through. No way. Each time I called I'd go through the Spaghetti Junction of Press 1, Press 2, etc., along with the "Please say the nature of your call now" automated system, which can never seem to understand what you're saying. Then, after about 15 mins of all this the phone starts ringing to get through to an advisor, then switches to the message, "I'm sorry, we are currently receiving a large number of calls. Please try again later". Personally I would rather be put into a queue, ideally with the message telling me from time to time where I am in the queue.

Anyway, as each day went on & I still couldn't get through I was getting more & more concerned. Then, when I got home yesterday, I was just about to try calling them again, when a couple of letters came through in the post. One from Council Tax dept & the other from Rent Accounts. I braced myself for the big shock - but no. Apparently I've been awarded Discretionary Extended Council Tax & Housing Benefits, meaning that my benefits will continue to be paid until November to help me into the interim of finding a job. This isn't an entitlement benefit, by the way, it is something that's made at the discretion of the Council if they consider the situation warrants it. Thing is, though that I had never even managed to get through to them to ask about it. It had been awarded automatically, and I can't tell you what a relief that is.

Then, this morning I get another letter from the Council to tell me that I had won a reward, following my having put my name down in one of their draws - "Bin It To Win It", where you need to pledge to recycle as much of your household waste as possible, which I already do anyway. I never expected to get anything, but what the hell? It's free, and if you don't enter you've got no chance.

There are a 12 prizes available to claim from:

1. £30 voucher at Love2Shop.

2. Years' Membership at Harbour Lights Cinema.

3. Family Ticket to SeaCity Museum & Tudor House Museum.

4. Month Free Pass to Active Nations Leisure Centre.

5. "Enjoy the culinary delights of one of the council's park or museum cafes" (not really sure what that one is).

6. £30 paid directly to your Council Tax Account.

7. Private bike riding lesson (including a £30 bike shop voucher).

8. Bike Maintenance Course (including a £30 bike shop voucher).

9. National Gardening Gift Vouchers.

10. Free Garden Waste Collection for a year.

11. Tea for Four with the Mayor.

12. Donate your reward to Mayor's Charity, Air Ambulance, Local School or Registered Charity.

Much as I would like to give it to a Registered Charity (the choir, would be my choice), in my current circumstances I'll be going for the £30 paid into my Council Tax Account. All I need do now is to send an eMail to clam it.

Things seem to be looking up for a change.