Ex partner and maternity pay

[MadamDragon44]

My DP has walked out for good and left me with a 3 year old and a 4 month old. I’m still on maternity leave.

During my pregnancy I kept asking him to discuss finances with me (how we would budget, split bills & so on) but he never had time and it never happened, he just vaguely said he’d cover what he needed to. I saved up a lot of money for mat leave and he knows this, but to me it didn’t seem fair that my savings and earnings and career would take a huge hit while he carried on as normal.

Now he's left, he’s saying I need to keep paying 50% of all the bills as I was before I went on mat leave. He says he’s being generous by continuing to pay his half despite not staying in the house. I’m now on statutory mat pay.

AIBU to think this feels off, or am I expecting too much to think he should support me despite the split until I go back to work?

to add: baby won’t take bottles so I can’t go back to work yet.

Make sure you apply for universal credit, as. Single parent with children this should top you up

Apply for universal credit as a single parent. Its risky depending on him to pay half the bills if he has left. Dependant on his earnings 50% of the bills may be higher than you would get in child maintenance.

Thank you. I didn’t think I would qualify for UC because I’m on leave and technically could up my hours by returning to work early. I don’t think maintenance would cover the shortfall if he stopped paying his half

That’s not how UC works with such a young baby OP. It’s just on whatever you’re receiving not what you could receive if you went back to work earlier.

make a claim asap

there is a capital limit however - over £6k this will effect your entitlement (but you could still be entitled depending on your level of maternity pay) and over £16k no entitlement.

I know that maternity allowance is £1 for a £1 so if you are on full maternity allowance (about £650) you are not entitled to universal credit. However, if you are on stat maternity pay with 2 kids you will be entitled to something to top you up unless you have savings. They start deducting when you have £6000.

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation, it must be so hard with two young kids. I really hope it works out for you.

In answer to your question, YNBU. Morally he should be supporting you. But I wouldn't depend on it.

I think even on 650pm OP will be entitled to UC, I still got it on that amount and I still get it now I'm back at work and I earn just over twice that amount.