Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

“You are lucky to get £7”

192 replies

LemonadeCake · 28/03/2026 22:20

I’ve been debating whether to just close my child maintenance claim altogether. My ex pays £7 a week and always has and realistically, it’s been years, he’s never going to get a job, so it’s not likely to change.

I mentioned this to someone and they told me I was “lucky” to even get £7 because they get nothing 🤦‍♀️

Am I being unreasonable to feel a bit annoyed by that? Am I really supposed to feel grateful for £7 a week? It barely covers anything it might as well be nothing, and honestly sometimes I think I’d rather it was nothing than this token amount that makes no real difference but means he can say he “pays” for the children. Theres been times when I’ve got nothing due to him having debts that take priority but I’ve never once felt anyone else was lucky to receive maintenance for their children.

They then said their ex has the kids every other weekend so that’s why they don’t get anything… but if I’m honest, I’d rather have that arrangement. At least then you’ve got some time to yourself and a bit less day-to-day cost. But obviously that’s not something you can say out loud without it sounding awful but it’s ok to tell me I'm lucky?

Is the bar really this low now? 🤷‍♀️

OP posts:
Legolaslady · 29/03/2026 18:36

Just stick it in a savings account for you children?
That way you can know that YOU are not receiving anything from him yourself

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 18:35

Asenseofcalm · 29/03/2026 18:00

You’re choosing not to be lucky!

I don’t have any evidence, maybe if I did I’d be tempted to report like actual hard evidence he couldn’t deny. Yes UC pay his rent and he is allowed to earn from rental income and still claim UC as it’s disregarded by UC if you look into it he is allowed to earn money from lodgers with no limit and still claim UC.

OP posts:
carnivalcat · 29/03/2026 18:28

YANBU.

I’m going through a really shit time at the moment, and almost everyone I mention it to bends over backwards to find a worse situation, and tell me I’m “lucky” it isn’t that. I used to smile and nod, now I just say “I don’t feel very lucky to be honest”.

Asenseofcalm · 29/03/2026 18:00

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 17:59

Im not reporting it but thanks for your comment. I want to close my claim I don’t care about it anymore, it was the comment saying im lucky that annoyed me.

You’re choosing not to be lucky!

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 17:59

Im not reporting it but thanks for your comment. I want to close my claim I don’t care about it anymore, it was the comment saying im lucky that annoyed me.

OP posts:
Asenseofcalm · 29/03/2026 17:56

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 13:35

I’m not planning to report it as I don’t have any evidence, so I doubt anything would come of it anyway. He also lives there himself and just rents out rooms to lodgers. It’s in a very affluent part of central London, so the rent involved is quite high. He said that he earns enough that he doesn’t have to work. So he's not crying over £7 taken from his benefits

This is theft and you’re allowing it. If you want more money mention to CMS about him renting the rooms. Does he own the property or is UC paying for that too?

If you don’t report it, then stop moaning about just getting £7 pw or help looking after the kids. You could be lucky if you did the right thing but you’re choosing not to.

Vintageblueribbon · 29/03/2026 15:35

Pomegranatecarnage · 29/03/2026 09:08

I get nothing, but I’d almost rather that than £7! It’s an insultingly paltry amount! YANBU.

I got nothing either but ine day I got a letter

It was saying that 'mr x (their father) had to pay (wait for it....) £2.49 for child one and child two'

This wasnt per day,week or even a year-it was £2.49 (not £249) as a one off as his benefits had gone down (as he had hit some threshold)

He went mental-demanded 'his' money back and slagged me off to anyone who would listen

I didnt even get the £2.49 for some reason it never appeared

And the bloke on the other end of the phone at the csa told me to be 'grateful' as 'many women don't even get that'

I was meant to be grateful for less than £2.50 in 25+ years

If id paid that for them,they would have been taken into care and me in prison

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 14:45

It’s really extremely unlikely; it’s been £7 a week for 8 years, I can’t see it changing any time soon i had hope in the beginning that he'd be forced to work but clearly not 😕

OP posts:
Thelnebriati · 29/03/2026 13:44

YANBU to want to close the claim, but keep it open in case his income goes up. It would be less hassle than starting a new claim.

Penguinsandspaniels · 29/03/2026 13:37

It’s been £1 a day for years

uc goes up but cms doesn’t

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 13:35

I’m not planning to report it as I don’t have any evidence, so I doubt anything would come of it anyway. He also lives there himself and just rents out rooms to lodgers. It’s in a very affluent part of central London, so the rent involved is quite high. He said that he earns enough that he doesn’t have to work. So he's not crying over £7 taken from his benefits

OP posts:
ByBreezyUser · 29/03/2026 13:28

And if the money from the rental property is going into his bank the dwp can spot check him and find out anyway

ByBreezyUser · 29/03/2026 13:27

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 12:51

He is not declaring it.

Well he should be reported

Myfridgeiscool · 29/03/2026 13:27

Having a rental property is a very traceable asset. This is additional income for him.
A CMS tribunal would ask him to submit financial information for this.
If he’s got money then he should be paying adequate maintenance, I’m sick of men doing whatever they can to avoid supporting their children.

JMSA · 29/03/2026 13:26

I’d have wanted to punch the person who said that. And then your ex!

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 12:51

He is not declaring it.

OP posts:
ByBreezyUser · 29/03/2026 12:48

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 12:44

He doesn’t work, he gets income from rental property. I can’t prove it, and I’m not planning to report anything, but my point is he’s not exactly struggling on benefits. He’s even boasted in the past about how much he earns without working. One of the reasons he wouldn’t have the children overnight at his is because he doesn’t want to risk it affecting his income.

Which he should be declaring to the dwp. Having the kids overnight would not affect his benefits.

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 12:44

He doesn’t work, he gets income from rental property. I can’t prove it, and I’m not planning to report anything, but my point is he’s not exactly struggling on benefits. He’s even boasted in the past about how much he earns without working. One of the reasons he wouldn’t have the children overnight at his is because he doesn’t want to risk it affecting his income.

OP posts:
Tonissister · 29/03/2026 12:17

It's £1 per day. I'd do something with it. Invest it in ISAs for DC or spend £365 at Christmas on a trip to the theatre and dinner.

As a PP said, why should he have it, however small a contribution it is. Better in your pocket than his.

Asenseofcalm · 29/03/2026 12:15

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 11:45

I know he is earning but I can’t prove it and I have no contact with him so there is no way to prove this unfortunately

If you really do know 100% that he’s working, you can let the benefits team know and they will do their own investigation, you don’t need proof.

Asenseofcalm · 29/03/2026 12:07

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 11:42

Thank you I’d rather have nothing to, it’s a completely insult would rather shut the claim down than have him thinking he is providing for them.

But even if the CMS took £50 from him a week, he still isn’t providing for them as it’s the tax-payers money (unless he is working and paying tax which he isn’t). The tax-payer is contributing £7 pw to help you raise your children.

So, until he works legitimately he’ll never be providing for them.

Asenseofcalm · 29/03/2026 12:01

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 11:38

Unfortunately this isn’t true, he earns on the side and isn’t relying solely on universal credit, I just can’t prove it so can’t do anything about it.

I’m still interested to hear what would you do if you had proof?

pinotnow · 29/03/2026 11:59

@LemonadeCake But he can't possibly think he's providing for them on that amount?! More likely he resents it. He absolutely should keep paying it and this paltry sum in no way detracts from you doing it alone.

LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 11:45

dogsarebetterthanppl · 29/03/2026 10:05

working c-i-h is a good point, if you find this out by any chance definitely get proof and report.

I know he is earning but I can’t prove it and I have no contact with him so there is no way to prove this unfortunately

OP posts:
LemonadeCake · 29/03/2026 11:42

Bunny44 · 29/03/2026 09:27

Honestly I'd rather get nothing (which is what I get) than £28 a month, which is frankly insulting @LemonadeCake . I'm with you.

Honestly the bar is SO low with what some men contribute in society and to their children.

People give single mums such a hard time when we're the ones holding it all together. A man does a tiny amount of parenting or contribution, and suddenly that's ok, or "something".

Thank you I’d rather have nothing to, it’s a completely insult would rather shut the claim down than have him thinking he is providing for them.

OP posts: