Trial Marriage Separation- financial impact

beth1611

Hi,
I'm hoping someone might know the answer to this.
My husband is moving out and we are having a trial separation- he has a fair few mental health issues and needs some space.
This means I'll now be a single parent of 2, renting a house and working part time.

Can I claim benefits as a single person if my husband doesn't change his address?
There's a chance he could come back in 6 months and he said he doesn't rang to go through the faff of notifying everyone his address has changed unless he really has to. Does anyone know?
Thanks

Icequeen99

beth1611 wrote: »

Hi,
I'm hoping someone might know the answer to this.
My husband is moving out and we are having a trial separation- he has a fair few mental health issues and needs some space.
This means I'll now be a single parent of 2, renting a house and working part time.

Can I claim benefits as a single person if my husband doesn't change his address?
There's a chance he could come back in 6 months and he said he doesn't rang to go through the faff of notifying everyone his address has changed unless he really has to. Does anyone know?
Thanks

It depends on what benefits.

Tax credits - no, you can't claim as a single person. As a married couple, you are treated as a couple for tax credits and need to make a joint claim even if you live apart. The only exceptions are if you are 'separated in circumstances likely to be permanent' or under a court order.

As your separation is temporary then you are still a couple for tax credits. If you say it is permanent, they will want to see evidence of that - steps to separate finances, change addresses, child maintenance, solicitor visits etc....

IQ

sangie595

You're very tolerant. He needs space, he can't be bothered with the trouble - but he is quite happy to leave you and his children to manage and sort out all the issues. Having mental health issues does not mean that he should be devoid of responsibility. This is his family and he needs to take responsibility for his actions. Mental health issues or not.

And I presume that he is having a trial separation from the debts too? Which despite what you said in your other thread in March, are not really just your responsibility since the debts have arisen out of you already trying to manage the family financial affairs on your own. It seems that you get all the hard work of trying to support the family and he gets to act like a single person flat share, calling all the shots, and taking no responsibility at all for anything. The wonder isn't that he has anxiety and depression, the wonder is that you don't. He seems to have a very cushy life compared to that of his wife.

TELLIT01

As I have no knowledge of the mental health issues involved, I'll stick with questions and comments which may help in determining whether or not you may have access to benefits.
What ages are the children?
Do you work?
Does your partner work and will he be making any contribution to upkeep of the family?

beth1611

The children are 8 and 2.
I work part-time (25 hours a week) my husband works full time and will be paying maintenance based on the csa calculator of £50 a week

Maybe I am too tolerant but I want to help my husband feel better in himself and a break from the family is what he needs.
It may very well be that this isn't temporary but I'm hoping the man I married isn't lost forever to this selfish individual who exists currently. That may be naive of me but I don't see anything wrong in having some hope.
Also I may find that living without him is better than living with him who knows?

GlasweJen

He's reverted to CSA minimum during a trial separation when there are young kids and huge debts involved? Wow!

I'd tell him that you can't claim any extra benefits as above. His reaction would dictate what to do next.

If he shrugs his shoulders and says "oh well, here's this weeks £50" if you were my friend I'd tell you to leave him, he's not showing commitment to you and the kids and he's expecting you to hold it together while he "finds himself".

If he stops and says "oh, well if we separated properly you'd get X, I can't afford X but can give you £100 a week and I'll help with the child care and I will cut my costs by staying with parents" I'd probably advise a friend to stay.

TELLIT01

Although you have a child under 5, because you are working 25 hours per week you won't be able to claim Income Support. I would suggest speaking to CAB as they will hopefully have an overall understanding of what might be available.