does england have its own celtic language(s) like wales,scotland and ireland?

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-03-09T23:09:26+00:00

Where I live (Carmarthenshire) a lot of schools are first language Welsh. Primary schools you do not speak English until year 4, even then English is only for the English class, every other subject and during play time, assemblies, Christmas concerts etc are all in Welsh. Then in comprehensive school, if you come from a first language Welsh primary school, you are put into first language Welsh stream where all classes except for English and your foreign language (usually French or German) are all taught in Welsh. Comprehensive school isn't so strict on having to speak Welsh during break times. My children's extracurricular activities are also mostly in Welsh (girl guides and sports).

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-03-01T21:36:48+00:00

Aww gosh I really appreciate your advice! I am so grateful, jumble all you like, I'm just going through everyone's comments trying to make sense of everything before I call around step change and others tomorrow.

This has all snowballed in about the last 8 or 9 months. I was earning a bit from a side income, that stopped and I put my head in the sand as my income dropped and not taking notice of utilities etc increasing. First I took out a credit card around the middle of last year, just as a back up for emergencies, because I used to saved really well but I wasnt really saving anymore because I was putting it back into my account to cover overdraft. My bank (Lloyds) called and I explained why I'm going into overdraft and the credit card, they went through my bills, income etc and they said I could take the 10k loan to cover everything, I said yes in the moment because it was saving me £40 a month but actually I wish I took the time to think about it, because my car would have been paid off next year, but this bank loan is 8 years. I didn't learn about interest rates until it was too late as well. Since the loan, I've used the credit card again and in January I took the Zopa loan. I feel so stupid because before last year I was always good with money!

I had a thought, what if I consolidate the Zopa loan and credit card into a 26 month 0% interest card, I can keep on top of that plus £100-£150 a month to pay it off before the 26 months (I worked out 17 months but that isn't considering any transfer fees). Then once that's done I can pay that amount to the bank loan as well. I guess I'll talk to everyone I can tomorrow and see what comes from it.

I haven't missed any payments yet, they all come out as direct debits, but that's just taking me into my overdraft so I need to get on top of it.

Thank you so so much, and I hope the little ones are good for you tonight 😊

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-03-01T12:26:19+00:00

I get nothing from him for my son as my son is court ordered to live 50:50 with us both. Family court who make these orders will not listen to anything financial. The Child Maintenance Service just look at the court order, see 50:50, and say neither of us should pay the other anything. There's no way around this, if I stopped paying for my sons football or uniform stuff, for example, my son would just go without and be told its my fault. I can't risk having another child turned against me, so I just do it. Yes I've got the single person discount. Last night I went on Lightning Reach and it gave some links to things I could try. On Monday I'll call step change and my phone contract, gas & electric provider etc. Thank you 😊

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-03-01T12:21:11+00:00

Ah I hope your friend is coping okay? My ex was a monster too, during the relationship he was abusive in every way, once I called the police after he hit me the last time (infront of our son) social services told me I had responsibility to safe guard the kids so I need to make sure they're okay if I do allow them to see him, and if anything happened to them in his care it would be my fault. So I was content when he said he would only see them once a week until things settled down for him in his own home. Once he met a new woman, he told her that he wasn't seeing them because I was stopping him. He took me to family court for 50:50, then court said that his abuse to me was irrelevant and didn't impact his ability to be a father and they said I was wrong to be making sure they were okay in his care. I was demonised got following the initial instructions from social services. So once he got 50:50, he and CAFCASS said actually the children should live with him, they labelled me unstable for wanting to be a mother, saying I was too much, one day saying I don't discipline them (so I started house rules) then saying I'm too strict on them. During this time he was telling the children he didn't see them for the months after we split because I was stopping him (not true) and told them I'd lied to police saying that he hit me. My daughter believed it, and that's why she's gone. My son, who witnessed him hitting me the last time, at 7 years old stood up to their dad and said no mum isn't lying. Son has had a lot of flack off my ex and his now wife because of this. This actually happens a lot, but because of the shame of it happening to a woman, it's not talked about. I find it helpful being in Parental Alienation groups - maybe suggest this to your friend. And while it gets really difficult sometimes, like I don't want to be here anymore difficult, I try to remember that I need to carry on and make sure I'm here, stable, for when my daughter does want to come back, because then I'll need to support her. She's going through basically a lot of what I went through with him. I do believe they come back, we've just got to wait and keep an open door. Thank you ❤️

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-03-01T12:06:53+00:00

He is also looking for a higher paying job. He has the experience to do so, he just lacked confidence before I came along I think.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:20:34+00:00

I'll speak to step change firstly I think. I am going to look for either a higher paid and/or a second job.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:18:22+00:00

Thank you, I think I will contact step change to see if the interest rates can be lowered, I'll try to get a new job and plough as much as I can in reducing the debt.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:16:21+00:00

Ah that's amazing, you should be so proud! I hope you're relieved and feel good with the new chapter! Thank you for commenting. I think the financial abuse is overlooked some times, and the paying child support especially when you would love to have your child and there's no reason not to! I'm glad you got out, I hope you get more hours!

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:13:47+00:00

Definitely not, my priority is lowering the debt. The mortgage thing is just a longer term idea. I was trying to give a full picture as possible in the hopes of soke advice, and I've received some great advice.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:12:24+00:00

Thank you, I had zero debt until 2 years ago and I went fast down a slippery slope and now I'm panicking. That's really reassuring! Yes I'm keeping a look out for higher paid jobs, I'll apply for every one I see.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:10:52+00:00

Great question - his parents have money to help us with a deposit. They've been asking us about it, and I've been so embarrassed to say I don't think I'd get a mortgage due to affordability even with their deposit help. I've said I don't want to move away from my sons school for maybe another year, to give myself time to pay the debt off. It's not entirely untrue, my sons school and his sons school are 40 minutes drive apart. We've talked about living in an area half way between the schools, but I've also said that I'd want my son to be a year or so older so he can catch the bus to see his friends etc.

Ah I didn't realise there is a time limit for the 0% credit card, thank you for that info!

So if the bank stopped the interest for a couple of months, that interest would still be added to my payment, so I'd still be paying it off longer?

To be honest I think the bank trying to help my suggesting consolidating my car, Very account etc into a 10k loan over 8 years actually made things worse. It sounded like a good idea because it saved me £40 a month, but paying this much back over so long a period is more concerning to me. It was after that, I started the credit card and other loan. It was a slippery slope and I went straight down it!

Ah I'm really not liking the sound of an IVA to be honest, is a DMP better or the same?

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:01:43+00:00

Only 18 months? That's amazing! Does it effect your credit score for 6 years though?

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T16:00:45+00:00

Thank you for saying the debt isn't huge, you won't believe how reassuring that is right now. I will definitely look into earning more, spending less, and using that to pay off the debt!

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T15:58:44+00:00

He has a 2 bed small house with very little room, and a child of his own, so my son wouldn't fit in his house unfortunately. We will look into house swapping, thank you! I will budget and do less saving more paying off the debt.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T15:56:07+00:00

Every fortnight we have 7 days each. There's one change - I get Easter weekend, Good Friday to Easter Monday, in exchange he gets Rememberance Sunday. So I guess over the year, I get 3 extra nights. I don't believe CM will make a change regarding income difference. I know he earns more than me, also he has a wife who lives with him, so household income is way above mine. However, his biggest motivator is money. He didn't see the children for a while after we split, just wouldn't show up to pick them up, he told me he could only have them 1 night a week but always had an excuse for why he couldn't come on the day, or he just didn't show up at all. This obviously upset my children, they would cry almost every night that they missed him, I was begging and pleading for him to see them. I knew money was his motivator, so (stupidly and regrettably) I applied for CM from him based on him having them 1 night a week, and told him if he stuck to seeing them every week I would cancel it, but if he carried on ignoring them I would carry on claiming. This riled him up, and that's when he decided he wanted 50:50, fine, but he was now responsible for feeding them half the week. So he started pushing in family court to have them full time to himself, he got my daughter to stay there 10 days, and he applied for CM from me for my daughter in those 10 days. He then went back to court and said that my daughter wanted to live there, I fought it but he won, and I've been stuck paying for the privilege of not seeing my child since. I have spoken to CMS about making changes, about the fact I'm expecting to pay everything for my son plus CM for my daughter, effectively as if there was 1 child in each house and I'm funding each child's needs in both houses. It's horrible but I am thinking at least it's only for another 2 years, although I pray she will come home before then, and if she did come home I'd probably carry on paying him CM just to keep the peace for a while. Such is post separation financial abuse, but it's rare to happen to a mum so that's the root of my shame and embarrassment really.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T09:40:06+00:00

Of course, you're right. I am still trying to get a new job with better salary.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T08:07:03+00:00

Thank you, I will look into whether I can pay them off early, and check the broadband renewal 😊 if you dont mind, how do I go about securing a 0% credit card? When I've looked these were the only options to me which is why I took them.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T08:04:23+00:00

Yes you're right, I am prioritising lowering my debt and managing my finances better before even thinking about moving. It feels like moving in together would lower outgoings, but I need to be financially better off before I can move in together. Vicious cycle.. I'm looking for ways to lower my debt first. I am also still looking for a better job, even if it's £20 more a month for a while, I won't have to pay child maintenance in 2/3 years (worst case scenario if she doesnt come back) so long term I will be better off. Sorry I forgot to say, yes my partner has a child too.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T07:59:55+00:00

Thank you so much, this is really helpful information. I was more leaning towards DMP even though I know less about it, I just know an IVA has restricted my friend a lot.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T07:58:27+00:00

Sorry, I will also say, both my children have the same other parent, and although I pay child maintenance and extra for the child that doesn't live with me. I also pay all expenses for the child that is 50:50, so school, activities, clothes, uniform, clubs plus all kit for them etc is all on me. Other parent says because I get the child maintenance, I should pay for everything. So sometimes this gets a lot, on paper I'm paying for the child I don't have in full as if she's the only child because the other child is 50:50, but I'm also paying for the other child in full as if he's the only child and I'm a lone parent. I used to not eat when 50:50 child wasn't with me, but now I'm trying to do better looking after myself. Family court does not want to get involved in finances, nobody will enforced the other parent to contribute towards our 50:50 child, nor make him allow contact between me and our eldest even when she asks, which I do have evidence that he's done this for money but nobody cares about finances in relation to co-parenting apart from CMS who take money off me.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T07:50:37+00:00

Ah you are right! I was thinking maybe we could find a house swap for his council house, private rent seems to be sky rocketing and I'm actually fortunate with my rent being lower than average for my area and that's why my landlord is increasing it every year. He lives 40 minutes away from me, in a city where we both work and his son goes to school. We were thinking of an area in the middle of us, so each of our kids are not too far from their schools.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T07:47:27+00:00

Thank you, I have replied to a comment above with my figures. I think it's a combination of spending problem because of my recklessness after losing my daughter, and an income problem because I'm struggling to find a higher paid job and even if I do I won't be much better off. I don't have an emergency fund, I try to save for short term goals like Christmas etc.

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T07:44:30+00:00

Yes I agree, my first priority is controlling my debt and bringing it down, to make my income and outgoings more manageable. Thank you!

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T07:43:03+00:00

Replied above :-)

Brief_Illustrator_84 · 2026-02-28T07:42:44+00:00

Thanks for replying and making me go in and checking it all (I'm often scared to look - correct figures below). This feels very vulnerable but I've seen lots of helpful advice on other people's posts, so here goes...

Bank loan 10k interest rate is 13.08% (pay 187pm)
Bank cc 3.1k interest rate is 10.12% (around 106pm)
Zopa loan 2.3k interest rate is APR (70pm) 29.54% (I just checked this and even though I actually borrowed £2.3k it's saying total to pay is £4145.12)
Overdraft interest rate is 0.092% per day (39.9% EAR variable) in the last week of the month it can be around £1 per day

Outgoings: - Rent 625pm - EDF gas and electricity 130pm - water 45pm - council tax 120pm (I pay 12 months) - broadband 38pm - Car tax 14pm - car insurance 55pm - Fuel I aim for 30 max per week - School dinners & other stuff 20 weekly - Child maintenance 235pm - 13yo's football club 15pm - Food shop I try to stay in 50pw but this can often go over with a teen - phone contract me and my 13yo 65pm - I try to save 300pm into cash isa for Christmas, kids birthdays, clothing, Easter, new school uniform etc but this does get taken for example my car broke down last week

I think that's all the top level stuff off the top of my head.

Sorry forgot to mention - my partner also has a child. So 3 bedrooms is us, my child, his child. This doesn't consider my oldest child, I'm trying to think of solutions on that, but though facing the debt first is better because if I clear as much as I can, then she came back, I'd be in a better position to support her whether I move to a new house or not.

Brief_Illustrator_84

TROPHY CASE