Divorce and child maintenance

sadandlonely

Am looking for some advice. Split from husband in November, I moved into new house on my own. He paid me £70 a month child maintenance but this stopped this month. He had to pay for his bond and rent on a new flat so silly me said leave it til next week. It's been two weeks now and still nothing. He has had haircut and bet plenty on yesterday's grand national yet I'm struggling on income support with two kids and both me and my son are desperate for haircuts, yet can't afford to do us both this week now with no money.

I am looking to divorce him as soon as possible as I do not see a future now. Again his gambling had come before his family. As I'm on income support would I get help? I am looking to get back to work by June now at the latest as I can't live on income support. It's the first time I have claimed and I am bewildered as to how people live the life of riley on benefits. Obviously I'm doing something wrong lol! I hate it!

Any help much appreciated, xx

monty-doggy

You will be entitled to income support, housing and council tax, child benefit and maybe tax credits. Go to https://www.entitledto.co.uk and use the benefits checker there. Then you need to go through the csa if he isn't paying the correct amount and on time however I believe it's had a reform and may charge an admin fee to collect monies from him, google child maintenance options to find out more.
Finally there is no legal aid for divorce but if you have no marital assets, savings or pensions then do it yourself. It costs £435 and is really straight forward, there isn't much paperwork to fill in and takes around six months.

Good luck

mum2one

you could contact child support agency, but it could take up to 12 weeks to get any money to you depending on how helpful the ex wants to be. x

HappyMJ

If he's on minimum wages he should be contributing to your children's upbringing much more than £70 per month.

Maybe just the threat of going to CSA and stating the fact that they will take 20% of his net pay might prompt a very quick payment.

Cut your son's hair yourself if it's that bad. Comb and scissors will do the job just fine.

sadandlonely

I wouldn't trust myself to cut my sons hair. Silly I know but he has a double crown and I wouldn't want to make a mess of it. I've cut my own fringe once already and will have to again now,

His pay is roughly 450 pounds a month as he only does 20 hours a week. The rest of the week he works onsite as a labourer but I know for sure he doesn't pay tax or n.i contributions. he only gets 90- 120 pounds from that.

Do we have to pay the csa now for admin fees?

Thanks again, xx

sadandlonely

The threat of csa wouldn't bother him, he doesn't care. All the years we were together, he never contributed towards any of the bills. I paid for it all. X

pinkshoes

In which case, if he's only earning £450 a month on paper, then at best you'd get £90 a month from tbe CSA.

Work out what benefits you can get. Can you increase your earning? Could he do the childcare whilst you worked.

haircuts are a luxury and won't win you much sympathy! Grow your fringe out and cut your son's hair with clippers!

monty-doggy

The csa is in the middle of a reform you need to see their website to see how it will affect you. Google it.

Vejovis

Don't hold out any hope of getting anywhere quickly with the CSA. Took me almost 6 years to get anything, then he only paid 3 months and stopped again.

sadandlonely

pinkshoes wrote: »

In which case, if he's only earning £450 a month on paper, then at best you'd get £90 a month from tbe CSA.

Work out what benefits you can get. Can you increase your earning? Could he do the childcare whilst you worked.

haircuts are a luxury and won't win you much sympathy! Grow your fringe out and cut your son's hair with clippers!

I am going to go back to work sooner than expected. My youngest ds was breastfed and relies on me alot still since his teething. I am trying solids every day though. Childcare is an issue with him, they would be dumped on his mother.

I know haircuts are a luxury, but when he has one knowing fully well me and my son are desperate too, its annoying.

Thank you for your help x

paulineb_2

Try a local college for a haircut, if they have a hairdressing salon, you could get a very cheap haircut. Or a training salon. A friend of mine uses a training salon and it's 7 quid for a cut and blow dry. She's on benefit, she still gets her hair cut when it needs done.