£0 maintenance after ex quit job

[Pinklemons9]

My daughters dad quit his job 5 months ago, a career which he studied for at uni, because it was too stressful. He recently signed on and I received a letter from CMS stating he now owed £0. He now has a job, in the same profession, however it’s contract work and possibly self employed so I’m not sure I’ll be entitled to anything if this is the case.

I'm annoyed for several reasons. Obviously I’m now left paying for all expenses at the worst time when all costs are increasing. I have a stressful job like many people, infact lately it’s been very stressful. Never in a million years would I quit my job without already having alternative employment. I’m a parent to 2 with responsibilities! I have a stressful job and I’m the one looking after the kids for the majority of the week, making sure they get to school, doing the doctors trips and all the other important things.

AiBU to be annoyed? I haven’t given him the satisfaction of telling him what I feel and have so far ignored the situation.

We share drop offs (he lives 40mins away) AIBU to tell him I now can’t afford to share travel and he will have to do it?

YABU but you're on a hiding to nothing if I'm honest.

YANBU to be annoyed, no one would say you are. He’s letting his children down badly.

Refusing to do half the journeys is punishing the DC for their dad’s behaviour so I wouldn’t do that.

Ring CMS up and tell them he started working again.

Fuck that quite honestly. I’d probably have to bite my tongue so hard I’d bite it right off I’d be so furious. How often is he seeing the children?

YANBU. I'd be tempted to send him a list of everything the children will now have to go without because he's such a shit dad.

On contact, I'd threaten to stop sharing drop-offs, but would probably give in and continue doing them if not doing them meant the kids didn't see him and the relationship is beneficial to them.

I would definately stop doing drop offs. If he wants to see the kids he can do the driving.

Please don't believe the mumsnet myth that self employed people don't have to pay CMS. They do.

Ring the CM and tell them he is working again.

if he is working for an agency for example they can still be instructed to deduct from his wages? (I think so defo call them)

Have you tried asking him for payments directly? Surely he realises if he’s doing supply then when he gets work he needs to pay you?

5 months? I’ve not had a cm payment for 5 years but get told “not to rely on it”

It's not a competition...

Who said it was merely pointing out men get away with it all the time and nothing is done about it cms don’t care and do nothing so good luck getting anything

Thanks everyone. He informed CMS he was working last night and they’ve apparently said he still doesn’t owe anything!
I don’t understand. He said he’s earning less than he used to (I don’t see how as you get paid more for supply work!). He has our daughter 2 nights a week. Surely he should have to pay something? Why should I be the only parent that has to pay for school trips, uniforms, dinners etc.