I am seeking some advice regarding what to do in new circumstances I am in, and was not sure where to ask.

In 2006 (at 18) I enrolled on a course reading BSc Politics with Criminology at the University of Salford. I am from Cornwall so Salford was a long way from home and I really failed to get to grips with student life, through entirely my own fault I dug deeper and deeper into two overdrafts and over time two credit cards too.

I was a very distracted student in Salford and failed my first year twice. During the summer following the second year failure I re-thought my plans and also met my girlfriend. My girlfriend was from Plymouth, and with Plymouth being just a short distance from my family in Cornwall I decided I could make a fresh start, concentrate and actually achieve what I knew I could in University. I enrolled in a course studying International Relations with Politics, focusing more on my interests. My new student year started fine with me gaining top marks on my first marked assignment. Outside of University I had found two part time jobs as well.

Things went wrong when I found out that I had entirely misunderstood my moving to Plymouth University, as I thought it would be classed as a transfer but the Student Finance people said it was starting again meaning I had been to University before, leaving me only eligible for 2 years funding, the first year I would have to pay myself.

The first year course fee was £3,150 and even though I tried I could not raise that amount of money and subsequently have been de-registered from university. It has left me very frustrated at my stupidity when I was younger and how it has disabled me so much now.

Currently I have a total of around £2,700 in overdrafts, nearly £1000 on a credit card(managed by payments averaging £20p/m) and a previous credit card debt of £251 being dealt with by Wescott Credit Services. Obviously totaling nearly £4,000. I still have my part time jobs, but one is just a bar job for Plymouth Argyle(meaning only home matches) and one is an agency job usually providing me with just one day a week.

I am stuck with everything even living arrangements as I do not currently have a permanent address, my parents are in Cornwall with no room themselves, and my girlfriends family, who I would opt to stay with, (allowing me to stay with her and in Plymouth) would allow me to stay rent free but currently rely on benefits that would may be complicated by my presence(rent or not). Then of course I am stuck with how to approach the debt issue.

I have heard of a Debt Relief Order, I am unsure on the details of this and whether or not it would be a viable option.

I am sorry for the lengthy question, I thought the more information might be better.

Any help you or anyone you could inform me of passing this onto would be greatly appreciated.

Also, since i originally wrote that, we have found out my girlfriend is pregnant, which sort of complicates matters :-/