AIBU to be devastated at my ex claiming CB to block me receiving it. I'm on UC he earns 120k+

What partners can legally do in these situations and what the reality is are two very different things.

My ex-H and I were joint tenants on our house we owned together, but he still threw me out. Yes, legally I was entitled to go back in and solicitors advice was that I did because I was more likely to get custody of the children if I did. However, ex-H manipulated everyone including my family and friends.

I ended up walking away because it is what I thought was best for my DC.

It is difficult to judge these situations if you've never been in them.

If you are joint tenants or tenants in common he had no right to throw you out of your home.
You have every right to live there.
He had no right throwing you out.

You probably don't want to move back in but me personally I'd think fuck the bastard it's my house too & I'd get my friends & family to help me

How can he throw you out of the house if you joint own it?

This is Coercive control and financial abuse.
Talk to Women's aid and consider going to the police and reporting it.
You could be eligible for legal aid.
Coercive control is a crime.

You mean you put in all the deposit surely not all the equity? You say you’ve been a SAHM for a while so he’s been paying the mortgage surely? So he has put some of his money into the house as well. But yes ideally you should have bought as tenants in common rather than joint tenants so you could get back what you put in. But you can’t change that now. As joint tenants yes you’ll likely get 50/50 each.

If it’s 50/50 no CMS payable. But you can contact CB dept and explain the situation.

@ReadingSoManyThreads I did go to court. I got my "share" of the house but due to his wheelings and dealings it wasn't enough for me to purchase another one with. Hence why we are still privately renting.
Money talks in court.

@WhyOhWhyWasDHSuchAShit I couldn't agree with you more. It's usually the wealthiest parent who "wins" in court, and a clever coercive controller is also great at deception.
I am so pleased your children are seeing the truth now that they are older.

You shouldn't take the police's word for things, they get it wrong all the time. If you also owned the house or were legally entitled to something from it, then legally you could have taken him to court for your share.

I've been reading this thread all morning as there are so many similarities to my own situation.

ExH also locked me out of my own home and stayed there with my DC. We got divorced, but never got a clean break order because he refused to accept the fact that the court wouldn't sign off the financial agreement because they said it was unfair. I couldn't afford to keep fighting him and he openly admitted he'd drag it out to ensure I spent as much money as possible. He was arrested for coersive control shortly after we split up and social services actually said I needed to get the DC away from him, which was easier said than done when he was living in the house he'd thrown me out of.

That was 6 years ago, but he still abuses the CMS and CB system to financially control me (DC1 is now an adult and rarely sees their father, DC2 still lives with their Dad, but is due to leave soon and is counting down the days). Unfortunately the whole system seems designed to allow parents who are that way inclined to financially punish the non-resident parent.

A very similar situation, OP. My wealthy ex-husband changed the locks to the marital home within hours of me saying it was over. Police advised only way back in was to smash windows to the property which I wasn't prepared to do as my kids had been through enough stress.
Now a decade on and I'm now happily remarried, even though we are still privately renting as can't afford to buy.
He can stick his million pound house, hot tub and swimming pool up his derriere; I have love, happiness and freedom! None of which he could ever give me 💪 ❤️

Absolutely shitty thing for him to do.
If I were in your situation I would draft a short factual statement about the CB and email/text it to everyone who knows him. Bullies hate being outed.

I found the family law advice offered by Rights of Women to be extremely helpful. The advisors are volunteer professional women with legal qualifications.You will most likely need to wait or try several times before you get through but it is very worthwhile (and free).

Here is a link to numbers for the family law advice lines:
https://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/get-advice/family-law/

Yes. This is what I'd do.

OP please report him to the police for coercive and controlling behaviour- the financial abuse would come under this.

Google your area and domestic abuse support - it should show you who your local domestic abuse organisation are. Contact them and self-refer for support. You can also contact Women's Aid or The National Domestic Abuse Helpline, but you may find your local one is able to offer you in-person support, which can be invaluable when you're feeling so vulnerable. Otherwise, if you report to the police, they should refer you to their local contracted DA service/Victim Support.

Once you're engaging with your local DA service, you should be able to get a letter than will help you find out whether you are entitled to Legal Aid. The letter shows you're a victim of DA, which is needed for the Legal Aid application. Whether you're entitled depends on finances as well, but it is worth at least finding out if that is an option as if it is, it would lessen your burden.

The local DA service can also help support you with the post-separation abuse you're experiencing with regard to your DC.

Lastly, I would highly recommend listening to or reading He Said, She Said by Dr Charlotte Proudman (a renowned family law barrister).

OP, you need to gather all copies of documentation in chronological order of all that you have gone through, financially and otherwise.

Contact Women's aid and ask for advice about reporting him for Coercive control and financial abuse.

If you report this to the police and make a statement, you may be eligible for legal aid.

Talk to your MP and ask for support.

He has deliberately ripped you off and you need to start fighting back.

Get every bit of proof together that you can.

What he did is likely a crime.
You have nothing to lose by reporting it.

I'm wondering if the police could potentially arrest him for some kind of abuse/domestic abuse charge. It sounds like he's done enough to warrant it...worth looking into this.

Yes, legally speaking, as you also owned the house he couldn't just kick you out. I know in reality he still did. So definitely raise this with your solicitor. This man is incredibly abusive and he needs to be challenged and stopped (through the courts).

It was your home too, you owned it. What he did wasn’t legal. Did you never call the police or go to a solicitor about that behaviour?

Sorry - it’s all moot now, but if his abusive behaviour is on file somewhere then that may help when you challenge the CB. You can show he is abusive and this is one of the ways he is doing that. They’ve been challenged before on that issue.

@Heartbrokenanddevastated Where are you living now?

@Heartbrokenanddevastated What are your current earnings, OP? Can you push them up at all?
Obviously you can't expect to rely on benefits forever and you won't be in receipt of child maintenance.

You can claim it with any income at all. If you earn over the thresholds you can opt to claim but not receive payment or you can pay it back later.

I thought you couldn't claim CB at all if your earnings are over 80k? If he earns a 6 figure sum as you say.... so it should be you claiming CB? Gingerbread should be able to help you on this