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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Giving NRP money for contact

14 replies

UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 20:28

Ex and I have 4 dc. Ds1 is autistic, v challenging and gets DLA. DS2 is awaiting assessment, also challenging and I have applied for DLA for him as well. Both their issues mean I cannot work and I get carers allowance and tax credits. Things are tight but we manage.

Ex has some of the dc once a month (his choice). He says he can't have all at same time due to small size of his flat and money, and in any case ds1 and ds2 often don't want to go.

Ex has bipolar and doesn't work because of it - he gets PIP.

Ex told me some time ago, when DS1 wanted to go to his place for the first time in years that he couldnt afford it while paying maintenance so I agreed that he wouldn't pay it because of the costs of having ds1 separately to the other dc.

Ds1 had a meltdown last night, and self harmed, and another this afternoon in which he very nearly injured his much younger sister. After he had calmed down he said he wanted to go and stay with his dad for a week and I agreed, despite this meaning missing the last two days of school, for every bodies safety.

Ex said he couldn't afford to put the heating on because he was so skint and hadn't budgeted to have ds this week, so I offered him ds DLA money on a daily rate, which is approx £11 per day.

He has come back saying he wants the daily equivalent of carers allowance and tax credits as well.

AIBU to say no - he can't have those as well? I buy everything for all of the dc, pay for phones, activities, clothes, etc. He will not have to pay for anything other than heating and food - which will not cost more than £11 per day (it wouldn't be more here and my house is a lot bigger).

As an aside - I need to do some work in the house to the dc rooms and ex got wind of it and offered to lend me money for it, he also offered to pay for dds upcoming school residential. He hasn't actually paid, although I said yes please to the residential, but if he's so skint why would he be offering these things?

OP posts:
panko · 14/12/2022 20:32

He's got cheek

UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 20:38

Well I think he does but he always makes me doubt myself, and he is haranguing me for an answer and saying he will have to send ds1 back if I don't agree to give him more money.

He's really an arsehole, but if ds1 is happy to stay there I want him to because the younger ones need a break, and frankly so do I.

OP posts:
UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 20:49

Bump

OP posts:
Hopeyoursproutsarealreadyon · 14/12/2022 20:52

Imo do not hand over a penny.
My friend used to have to send their dc with a tin of soup if they were at his for lunch. I mean come on?
Send ds with a fleece top and bed socks.

RedHelenB · 14/12/2022 20:55

UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 20:38

Well I think he does but he always makes me doubt myself, and he is haranguing me for an answer and saying he will have to send ds1 back if I don't agree to give him more money.

He's really an arsehole, but if ds1 is happy to stay there I want him to because the younger ones need a break, and frankly so do I.

If they need the break personally I'd pay the money
whether or not he should be paid it.

UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 20:58

Ds is already there and I have agreed the £11 per day. I do think ex is an arsehole though.

Ds said to me before he went that dad had told him he couldn't afford to give the dc more pocket money because I didn't pay HIM child support. I had to swallow hard before pointing out that child support is paid to the parent the children live with most of the time and pointed out how much more it costs to run a household of 5 people that 1. I didn't tell ds that his dad doesn't pay anything at all towards his day to day costs. Angry

OP posts:
TestingTestingWonTooFree · 14/12/2022 20:58

If he paid CMS child maintenance and had them overnight every week he’d get a small reduction for shared care. Not £11 per day and certainly not your tax credits.

Turnthelightoff · 14/12/2022 21:01

I know it’s extra work for you but the tin of soup idea could work? Send a food parcel. How does he pay for electricity? If he’s not on a prepaid meter he doesn’t need cash for that here and now.

panko · 14/12/2022 21:03

UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 20:38

Well I think he does but he always makes me doubt myself, and he is haranguing me for an answer and saying he will have to send ds1 back if I don't agree to give him more money.

He's really an arsehole, but if ds1 is happy to stay there I want him to because the younger ones need a break, and frankly so do I.

Wow he's a peice of work

vipersnest1 · 14/12/2022 21:10

In the future, give him nothing (he's either willing to be a parent to all of your joint children or not at all) - and pursue him for child maintenance. You might not get anything from him, but it will give him the message that he's bloody lucky not to be paying you anything due to his circumstances.
And, going forward, use the money that you were thinking of paying him, to pay a carer to come in and give you a break.
That would be a far wider use of your money IMO.

UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 21:22

Oh god - I'm much stronger and better at dealing with him than I used to be, but maybe I'm still an idiot.

Ds1 would not cope with a carer coming in - he will only go to his dad or my parents, and my parents can't deal with him when he's being challenging due to their age and his size and strength

OP posts:
FloydPepper · 14/12/2022 21:31

You say he pays maintenance but doesn’t work and is on pip. How is the maintenance calculated? Is it cms and based on his pip?

UnicornZebra · 14/12/2022 21:37

He doesn't pay maintenance because he said he couldn't afford to see ds1 if he did, but when he was paying it was £1 per day based on his benefits status. So £30 per month in total.

OP posts:
Stomacharmeleon · 14/12/2022 22:15

Wow what a shit and actually what a shit dad.
If it was me I would let him send him home and deal with it then. It won't stop otherwise and he is blackmailing you.
What a treasure.

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