I left my abusive exH a little over 2 years ago. We have 2 DC both with SEN and contact has been sporadic since we left. He now hasn't seen them in over 6 months and has made no effort to do so.
Just over a year ago he agreed to pay me £150 a month and all was well initially. Julys's payment was 2 weeks late and I haven't received anything for Aug, Sept and now Oct. He set the amount and date.
If I go through proper CMS channels I'll be entitled to approx £30 a month.
I budget with only my money and have never taken into account any money from him as I was always aware it was a potential way of him attempting to have control over me. I don't exactly 'need' the money, I manage, albeit with only pennies left at the end of the month, but with paying out for uniforms, Christmas coming and just general living costs the £150 certainly helped.
I don't know if he's not paying as he can't afford it, doesn't want to or other reason as we are no contact with a court order (obtained after the July payment was due but before it was eventually recieved) stating all communication must be via solicitors as the abuse continued even after we left and went into refuge.
Also just so as not to dripfeed, I have an email from him stating he would send me a substantial sum (low 4 figures) in June/July as he was due to come into some money, this never materialised and I don't know if he recieved it, although given the source I expect he did. I'm also aware there has been (and likely still is) an issue with drugs.
Again so as not to dripfeed it was my birthday (after the court date and before the first missed payment) and after communication via solicitors I agreed to accept gifts from our DC/my SDC that he had purchased. He also sent gifts for the DC which were returned via his solicitor as it hadn't been agreed and were inappropriate. I appreciate this sounds like I was being an arse but without writing even more of an essay it was absolutely the right decision to return these items and my solicitor was the one to initially say don't accept them.
Would you bother to claim via official channels or not?
YABU don't bother
YANBU yes make a claim