Husband leaving, advice needed

[EdenSings]

Apologies for posting in AIBU but I need the traffic. Don't tend to get as much luck in other topics.

'D'H has decided he is leaving, viewing a property tomorrow with a view to move out of our rented home ASAP. I am currently on maternity leave from full time employment with a 12 week old baby. Also have a 3 year old. The children will stay with me. My main question is - does anyone know what I may be entitled to? My money is about to drop from full pay to SMP in the next few weeks. I can't survive on this much. I have done a calculator online which has given me a figure, but does that take into account SMP? I have tried to speak to citizens advice but no available appointments online or F2F. Without making this thread about why we are splitting I'm not sure I can rely on maintenance from him. He's the director of a limited company and I'm almost certain he will fiddle his wages to pay me the bare minimum.

I just need to know I'll be able to survive until I RTW in Dec/January. Any other advice much appreciated.

Call JobCentrePlus, you need to apply for child tax credits and working tax credits, universal credit and housing benefit, then call your council and register for council tax benefit, you may not receive this but you will at least be able to apply for the 25% single adult reduction.

You can apply from the day husband leaves, and your claim will start that day, it may take a few days or weeks to receive any benefits but from the sounds of things you will be eligible.

You will need your national insurance number, plus the amounts you have in savings.

One last piece of advice, if you have a joint account you need both of your signatures to close the account. You will also need to get your rental agreement changed to your name only.

Good luck, things feel very bleak right now, but they will improve.

Sorry you are going through this OP and congrats on your newborn

For benefits use www.entitledto.co.uk/ and use www.gov.uk/calculate-child-maintenance to calculate child maintenance. Make sure you have current copies of his payslips so if he does decide to change the way he is paying himself then you can show that he is hiding income

Is he on your rental agreement currently or is it just in your name?

Also remove half of the money in the joint account now as he could clear it out

Thanks everyone so far. I am making notes of all the advice and will ring jobcentreplus tomorrow. The tenancy agreement is currently in both of our names. I guess I can't remove him from the agreement until he moves out? We have no savings and a small amount left in the joint which will cover the rest of this months outgoings. No assets to speak of other than his business which is a Ltd company which he founded a year after we met.

Just had another update from him and he has informed me he will be staying with a friend until he can move into somewhere permanent. Does that mean I can start applying and making changes now? Or does he have to have a new permanent address before I can do that? My head is all over the place

You can apply now. If he is not coming back.
Make sure you get him to redirect all of his mail.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this OP.

Some of the online calculators are not great at giving correct figures for any entitlement. If you look at the attached link you will be able to work out what you are entitled to. You can no long apply for child and working tax credits, do you already have open claims for them? When you speak to UC you need to tell them that it’s an untidy tenancy if your H is still on the tenancy with you, this will enable you to claim for the whole of the rent you are entitled to. You can make a claim before he moves out.

www.gov.uk/universal-credit/eligibility

Make sure your landlord knows he has gone and get the tenancy put in your name.

Is returning to work earlier an option? Would he contribute to childcare costs?

Hmmm makes you wonder who the friend is, doesn't it? What a shit he is to leave you with a toddler and a new born baby.

You'll get through this, OP. Did you know you can look up his company in Companies' House online, to see his previous returns?

Have a hunt round for his payslips, bank statements, P60s. His name is on your current tenancy agreement so I would imagine he will be liable for his half. You need to make a claim for universal credit & get in touch with the Child Maintenance service, he should be paying 16% of his income for 2 children as a minimum, put in a claim. I would also speak to a solicitor ask if they do 30 minutes free advice.

Sorry you are going through this, OP. No useful advice, just

I hope you have support from family and friends. X

@HollowTalk my thoughts exactly - but I'm trying not to go to that place. Need to keep it together for the kids.

@forinborin yes I had considered that. But baby not sleeping through yet and my job requires quite a high level of concentration. I wouldn't want to put anyone at risk returning exhausted. Hopefully soon she will start sleeping better at night and I can reconsider that option.

So sorry, what an awful situation to be in In addition to the above, if you haven't already, make sure you're registered for child benefit for your new baby.

Thank you everyone. Have supportive friends and family, close to DM but I don't want to burden her with this at the moment as she's just been diagnosed with cancer and will be starting treatment in the next couple of weeks. This really couldn't have come at a worse time.

Sending best wishes to your mum too

Your poor mum, too. He really picked his moment, didn't he? You need to really look out for yourself now, financially. Don't believe a word that comes out of his mouth.

No advice to add but wanted to say I’m sorry that you’re going through this. It sounds like you’ve thought of lots of practical things and been given useful info here. X

Thank you all. He's a real catch that's for sure. Definitely thinking about myself and kids now. Out of interest would I have any claim on his Ltd company when we divorce?

@EdenSings

Thank you all. He's a real catch that's for sure. Definitely thinking about myself and kids now. Out of interest would I have any claim on his Ltd company when we divorce?

Yes, but if it is not a "real" company, but a notional Ltd company that he is contracting through, you are likely to be limited to a share of paid up share capital, which might be a couple pounds only.

Apply for universal credit ASAP, now ideally because there's a time lag between application and receiving it. It should adjust if your income drops. You are also entitled to child support, use the online calculator to gauge what you are entitled to then open the conversation with your stbex don't give a figure in case he offers more.

So sorry you are going through this.

I have no practical advice but apart from all the great advice upfront I would keep copies of everything - p60s, payslips,credit card billls etc as you don't know what will come in handy down the line , copies of phone bills and call records

Does he use pc at home ? Heck browsing history / get copy etc

I'm sure there will be others along with more good advice like earlier posters

Sending a big HUG 🤗

Chercher la femme. Sorry you're going through this.