Hi folks, I didn't know how else to get advice so I've come on here to find out what I should do.
I am unfortunately claiming benefits due to being unemployed and I live with a family member who is the house owner.
I had signed on at my local job center a fortnight back and upon coming out decided to have a cigarette where normally people sit down and smoke before entering the building or leaving it. On this particular day I had witnessed two others smoking where I had chosen to stand and smoke. They too discarded their cig butts where I did, in a patch of soil surrounded by bricks enclosing some bushy shrubs. There were hundreds of butts in there I recall.
I was preyed upon by two Environmental Enforcement Officers and issued the Fixed Penalty Notice but not before obtaining my ID, which I happily gave as I didn't want to cause a fuss.
I did inform them that I was unemployed and surviving on benefits and that what I had done was a one off and that I don't normally do this, but they simply told me to call a number on the FPN slip they handed out.
I never throw litter in public, quite the contrary. If I have litter on me I either keep it or find the nearest bin to discard it in. On this occasion I had a cigarette and did what countless others do outside this job center, discard it into that cig infested enclosure. Out of the corner behind a wall, appeared two environmental enforcement officers who informed me they had me on camera doing this.
Long story short, I believe this fine is unfair given that I have in the past, commuted on public transport and witnessed people leave their litter on seats and on many an occasion seen littering culprits getting away with far worse in broad daylight.
I have tried contacting my local authority but theyve made it next to impossible for citizens to speak to anyone regarding something like this. To compound the problem I have little over a week before my FPN deadline arrives and if its not paid by that date I may be summoned into court.
The issue is I'm hand to mouth and very stressed out and bothered by this and wish for some undrestanding and clemenancy to be shown. I barely survive on benefits and on top of this I'm aggressively job hunting and trying to nail a full time job!
will they allow me to pay in installments ? will the job center offer any extra assistance in this matter ? I am at loss as to knowing what to do here folks. Help me please ?