Cannot afford a car

TBagpuss

As others have said, there are a lot of different issues here. Some possibilities:
- Ask your solicitor whether there would be any basis for you to seek maintenance pending suit to get some support from your husband until the financial issues are resolved
- Talk to your family to see whether they are able to help you with money to pay to get your car repaired, or to buy a cheap replacement for the present
- see whether you can increase your working hours or get a second job. It is tricky right now but supermarkets are still recruiting, for instance
- check https://www.entitledto.co.uk/ or https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/AboutYou to make sure that you are claiming everything you are entitled to in benefits / tax credits 
- If your husband obtained credit in your name without your consent then consider reporting it as fraud, which should allow it to be removed from your record. If you gave him the card or access to the account then it is not fraud, but it will be relevant to your financial settlement. Make sure that your solicitor knows. 
- check whether your kids qualify for school transport, if you live too far from the school for them to walk. 
- work out timings and routes for them to walk if they don't  (and look at public transport for all/part of the journey if need be) 
- consider whether you have any other short term options - do you have items you or the kids no longer need which you could sell on e-bay to raise some funds. for instance? 
- What is your relationship like with the children's other grandparents? Might they be willing to help with practical arrangements or with a loan for  a car, if your family can't? Or with directly funding transport to school? 
- Obviously it won't be do-able until 2nd Dec but after that, look into what tier your area is in and what the rules are - if you are in a lower tier it may be that the children could get a lift with friends as a short term measure, especially if they are old enough to wear a mask while they are in the car. 

AmberPick

You'd better consult a lawyer. As far as I know, you can change his decision in favor of the child's needs. So, either you will get a car or money to drive the child. 

MrsStepford

* Put a rocket up your solicitor.
* Consult local education authority as you may be entitled to free school transport. If not, could you contribute to fuel costs for friends/other parents taking their kids to school ? Or pay for a weekly season ticket on bus/train ?  Does the school arrange a walking bus ?
*ZipCars.
* Supermarket deliveries .
* Check maps and walk within one mile radius of home, kids included.
* eBay. We Buy Books.
* Do a boot fair with a friend with car and take kids and picnic.
* Cancel TV licence, flog TV - if kids want to watch it they can get Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV on catch-up on tablet and if you have Amazon, plenty of stuff to watch on that.
* Get them in habit of switching lights off when they aren't in a room, ditto radio.
* If you have a working fireplace, get it swept, and buy logs. Get kids picking up sticks for kindling (needs to dry out thoroughly)
* When weather warms up, plenty of salads in garden or picnics in park if you have one
* If kids aren't in them, try Brownies, Guides, Cubs, Scouts. sports clubs or similar or after-school activities and guilt-trip ex into taking some responsibility for picking up, feeding and delivering. Enforce by court if he doesn't bother

greyteam1959

Old thread.