Cant Pay Fines

[nailit]

over the last few months Ive amassed over 400 pound in fines and court costs for relativly minor offences. I am currently in receipt of £99 p/w ESA.
Come April I will have to find 30% of my council tax + approx. £14 p/w bedroom tax. This will have a drastic effect on my finances. Today I have spoken to a court finance officer and have been told that if I dont continue paying my £5 a week fines that I will be jailed as £5 P/W is the minimum that is acceptable to the courts. I am more than willing to pay my fines but come April £5 a week is more than i can pay. What can I do?
(P.S. For those of you who have supported me / given advice over the last 9 months RE: Crown court trial, I now have a new date for the 27th Feb...the foresaid offences are incidental to my crown court case as i am guilty...and have pleaded guilty... to said offences in magistrates court.
To those who have followed my threads regarding this ongoing case, I thank you, but I am going to find myself without the money to eat let alone pay fines. Im now half hoping that Im found guilty at my trial so that at least I will be able to eat and keep warm in prison...

[bednobs]

i'm not sure what question you want answering, or what advice you want. If you don't want to pay bedroom tax, could you move?

[DaisyNonna]

Why did you break the law in the first place? Relatively minor offences? Once may be understood, more than once, no. Pleading guilty means that you did wrong, knew it and are now saying sorry? Prison is the easy option.

[bednobs]

there are no "easy options" daisy - go to prison or starve. Hardly easy. It's not really all that important or relevant re why he broke the law is it?

[DJHawkes]

why do you rely on ESA, can't you go out and find work?

[DaisyNonna]

yes

[DJHawkes]

i thought EXA was a short term benefit anyway, you should be able to see beyond that to get yourself back to work and then you will be able to afford to clear your fine over a couple of months

[bednobs]

it's not relevant for the question - ie "what can he do about it". It's not like he can turn back time is it?

[murraymints]

Dot..nailit has had a tough few months and is not really fit for work I suspect....you know perhaps a few months visiting her Maj may be the space you need to breath think and get some help to form strategies to start moving on....in the meantime...cab or perhaps social services could help out....good luck and take care..x

[DJHawkes]

what he can do is get out and get a job,

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

For every one job there are 10 people wanting it Dotty. You make it sound easy and it's not.
Consider yourself lucky.

[DJHawkes]

but stopping at home has obviously not done him any good, he needs to be looking for work and trying to rebuild his future because prison isn't a way out of poverty, ill health, housing issues or anything else, prison is the end of life as he knows it.

[DaisyNonna]

bednobs, you said you did not know what advice he wanted.
30% of council tax? We should be so lucky!

[ubasses]

Easier said than done when Nailit has not long been discharged from hospital with mental health problems.

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Yes maybe looking for a job will at least be a distraction, but as others have said, Nailit might not be well enough.

[DJHawkes]

No there are 10 people going for it, 5 of them will only be applying to placate the job centre, 5 might be serious about it and want it but not be suitable, noone gets a job unless they apply for a job they can do and are suitable for and really really want, I get CVs everyday and half the applicants are only applying to keep their benefits

[boxtops]

Have those people who are being less than tolerant on this thread read nailit's previous posts, and appreciating how he's come to this?

[DJHawkes]

i probably should read more of the back story then, as i don't understand why someone with mental health issues has been fined at court

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Nonetheless Dotty it took me 18 months to get the most appalling job and I certainly wasn't trying to make up the numbers

[DJHawkes]

I'm not being intolerant, the guy has financial problems and needs more money, he can't get more money unless he gets a job,

[murraymints]

Boxy.....my thoughts exactly.....poor chaps been through the emotional wringer as of late...there but for the grace of God.....needs a break and a bit of support right now not castigating....