Collegues Husband Has Left Her And Kids

bindiboo

hey up you lot

some advice needed

one of my collegues at work had her husband walk out on her and kids. It was a complete shock to her and the family and no one had any idea that he wasn't happy.

Anyway, she is in a tether as she does not know what to do or who she should be talking too. He has left her with young kids and a morgage. Her employers have allowed her to work during school hours on a temp 1 week basis. (she used to work evenings while hubby looked after kids). They cant offer her hours in the day as there is no vacencies during the daytime and also they do not allow just school hours.

Who should be speaking to? She has consulted a solictor and has tried to see the citzen advice but the queue is always so long.

thanks

black-saturn

Sorry this has happened. I saw that no one had replied so I thought I would have a stab at the answer.

She needs to go to her local benefits office and see about getting on working tax credit as a single person with children. They will be able to advise on financial help with childcare costs. In the meantime she could look for another job which can mean she spends more time with the children in this time of need.

As for the mortgage she needs to work out whether she can take it over, whether her husband is going to carry on paying it or if they are going to sell up.

She could also have a look at http://www.gingerbread.org.uk and they also have a helpline for people in this type of crisis.

Becles

It depends what she wants to do really.

If the job can't offer her school hours and she can't continue with the evening work, she'll be able to claim income support. She needs to go to her local benefits office to claim this. She may also get help with her mortgage as her husband has deserted her, and other benefits like free prescriptions and free school meals. Post again if she wants to stay on income support, and someone will tell you exactly what she can claim.

If she can find a school hours job, she'll be able to claim working tax and child tax credits. Depending on the level of income and credits awarded, she may get other help. If you claim tax credits any child maintenance is disregarded, so if the father is paying her money, she could be better off in work and claiming tax credits.

Depending on her income she'll have to decide if she can take the mortgage on herself and keep the house. This also depends on the husband too and the equity in the house. If she keeps it on, she'll have to contact the mortgage lender and get them to put the mortgage account in her name, and a solicitor will need to deal with the legal bits.

It is a shock and she'll need a lot of support at this moment in time. The pain will pass and she'll get through it. My ex-husband did the same to me, but I managed to start my own business and got the mortgage in my name, so I could still live here. Just saying that you friend can see that even though everything seems terrible now, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Will be thinking about her xx

janb5

As regardsthe CAB, it may be worth asking in her local surgery as some have theirown benefits adviser offering appointments and would save the queue to CAB.