Help husbands left me and 3 kids no money

Guest101

1: she could claim upto 2k in benefits if she needs it. She doesn't but expects her ex to pay for her? - starting to see why he left...
2: he hasn't seen the kids- but you don't say why not? If she's bitter about finances then perhaps she prevents it.
3: his GF is nothing to do with this.
4: only thing sexist here is the expectation that her ex should pay for her.
5: his life of Riley is nothing to do with her.

It sounds more like ur advising ur 'friend' really badly. U need to tell 'her' to go and claim everything she's entitled to. It's for her children!

The CMS base assessments on the p60, which is convenient it being April. So she can pay the £20 and ask them to assess - assuming all the kids are his? - 18,000 with 3 kids would be more than 271 unless I've missed something

duchy

Something is not adding up here.
I think your "friend" isn't been too accurate with the figures they are giving you.

BigAunty

The Turn2us benefit calculator is a great resource for her to calculate her benefit entitlements. The benefits forum can help with this.

She should be claiming at the very least Income Support (if the youngest is under 5) or JSA if the youngest is 5+ and she is actively seeking work, Child Benefit and Child tax credits. This may amount to £300 a week (not sure of current rates) and her child support doesn't affect it, plus either no or low council tax. If she's a tenant, she could look into Housing Benefit. She may also be entitled to free school meals for the children.

She may be better off with a part-time job. A lone parent only has to work 16 hours per week to qualify for Working Tax Credits if her income is low enough which can boost her employment, child support and existing benefit income.

She can still qualify for WTC if she is self-employed. However, she should look into how benefits are changing for the SE due to the government's exasperation that the SE aren't launching viable businesses and remain heavily benefit dependent. This may increase her income to around £400-450 a week, excluding child maintenance.

j.e.j.

Are they getting divorced? She should get a good solicitor, imo. She may not have been contributing to the household financially, but she has been looking after the three children and the house, and enabling him to live the life he wanted. Take him to the cleaners!

duchy

If the business is failed and she's getting less than £400 in child support -then she should be claiming child benefit , Income support or JSA and housing benefit if the property is rented (and if owned who is paying the mortgage?) and council tax benefit and the single occupant allowance.

If she is working at her business still at least 16 hours a week she'd be entitled to tax credits as well which would be over £200 a week minimum if her income from the business is nil or nearly nil.

Why any responsible mother wouldn't be claiming to ensure her children have a decent standard of living is beyond me . She's either not very bright or not telling the truth about claiming no benefits. That however will take time so she needs to be sure she is getting the correct level of state support until she is able to go to work (assuming she wants to do so rather than stay on benefits til the child is five)

As for legal obligations as a husband -as a woman of working age he has none to her but an obligation to pay 13-15% of his income to support their joint children whilst they are living with her.

Perhaps instead of worrying about her husband's obligations she should be thinking of her own obligations to her children.

If there is joint marital assets they will be distributed equally at worst but for that to be sorted she needs legal advice .

Guest101

j.e.j. wrote: »

Are they getting divorced? She should get a good solicitor, imo. She may not have been contributing to the household financially, but she has been looking after the three children and the house, and enabling him to live the life he wanted. Take him to the cleaners!

1: unlikely to get a good solicitor if you have no money
2: take him to the cleaners for what? Paying more than he has to? Or doing the 'decent' thing, ending his relationship instead of having an affair?

moneysniffer

superflygal wrote: »

a sure sign of a sexist society if the man gets to please himself whilst the wronged wife suffers after being nothing but a brilliant, faithful and loyal wife.

It's nothing to do with gender or sexism. It's to do with being a resident parent and the responsibilities that come with it, regardless of the gender of that resident parent. If the man becomes the resident parent, then your friend will be free to work full time and afford to go on nice holidays. But instead, she gets the luxury of seeing her children day to day - isn't that worth more than holidays? There are plenty of men out there who would give their right arm for that privilege too...

Ronaldo_Mconaldo

How did you figure out how mush his girlfriend earns? Did you manage tomfind out her exact job title and the company she works for and then also find that on a jobs website too? If I were him I'd stop paying the £360 and resort to only paying for what I have to simply for getting her bitter and angry friend involved in the witch hunt.

FBaby

She may not have been contributing to the household financially, but she has been looking after the three children and the house, and enabling him to live the life he wanted. Take him to the cleaners!

How are you coming to this conclusion? Maybe he worked long hours in a job he hated to support his family? Maybe the wife wanted the life of Riley and spent all the money on fancy things putting him under even more pressure to ensure they didn't get into debts? Maybe she was abusive and controlling? We just don't know either way and therefore don't think we can come up to any conclusions, let alone advise that he deserves to be taken to the cleaners.

jayII

What happened to both parents being equally responsible for children we bring into the world? Dad is contributing as best he can and mum should do the same!

She really needs to start letting go of her bitterness and concentrate on being a good mum to her children, whether that involves finding work or claiming the benefits she and the children are entitled to!

She should also be trying to foster a good relationship between the children and their father. Children should not suffer, or lose out on a parent, just because that parent no longer wants to be in a relationship with the other parent.