How to people afford to live separately

[Catnap25]

To make this short, me and my partner want to separate. Children getting a bit older now, we'll probably wait until oldest has finished gcse though.

Our incomes are very average, I earn less than 2000 a month, partner in the same situation. We are okay financially together as the mortgage is relatively low but how do we manage to live separately? He says he won't be able to afford to rent and give maintenance so we might as well wait until children are both 18.

Just wondering how everyone else does this? Apply for a council house? Rents for 2-3 bedrooms are about £1200 a month and that's before council tax and bills!
TIA

I do OK as I rented my house before covid hit and things got really expensive. My landlord is brilliant and in the last 5 years has only put my rent up a total of £100. I am in a cheapish area but have a lovely 2 bed semi with a large plot of land, front, back and side. I take home about £2400 a month, including maintenance of £200.

My ex on the other hand is terrible with money (and relationships!) and does the whole looking for a woman with a house he can live in. The most recent woman has just kicked him out and he is sofa surfing whilst looking for a house share. Shit for my son and I as it means he cant have sleep overs with his dad but that is the life his dad chose.

If I were in your situation now, I doubt I would be able to start again. Had a quick Look at rents in my area and a similar house now would easily cost 50% more than what I pay now in rent.

Thanks for all your replies, some food for thought.. the thing is he is happy just bumbling along as we are.
I suppose we could sell when youngest is 18 but not sure I want to wait that long. If I was able to buy a tiny flat somewhere in a cheap area with a mortgage after sale of the house, I'd have to get a 10 year mortgage so I finish paying before retirement. Looks like that could be 1000 a month

WhatASadLittleLifeJayne

This might be a good option for now

If your job is one you can reasonably do in later life you can get much longer mortgages these days, they told us we could get a 35 year mortgage and I'm 37.

Go to a mortgage broker as some banks let you get a mortgage that brings you into retirement aslong as you have a private pension.

In same boat here so grateful for all the responses.

50/50 contact so you both have one child each so both claim child benefit and UC for ‘their’ child?

Well... if you get on well enough to consider living together until the kids are 18, why not consider nesting instead? The kids stay in the house, you both pay towards the house and you take it in turns staying in the house with the kids and staying in a much cheaper place with no room for the kids.

You're still co-parenting but in this scenario, you both get a bit of a break from it all and get to have your own life away from your ex.

A quick play of the Santander affordability calculator looks like they’d lend you around 3 times salary. Over 35 years it’s around £500 a month.

Life really is too short to stay like this , I would have a clean break & sell. would you have equity to use to top up rent if you could not buy intially?
SO properties? or ,maybe a flat would be better than a SO house

I am single parent of four but youngest is now 21. Life is much harder financially now than it has ever been. Basically one wage without any other income is dire. All kids went to uni oldest two never came to live back at home but younger two are now back for approximately a year. They are both working waiting on their first wage and since May we have been living hand to mouth, they are both going to contribute from tomorrow (yippee) it is so difficult to manage I hope you can sort something out, I rent as I have not been able to afford to get back on the market ladder. When I retire I still have rent to pay rather than having a paid up home which will continue to be a problem. Look after your long term interests.

I don't understand what's supposed to magically happen when the youngest child turns 18. Depending on when their birthday is they'll probably have several more months of school. Then even if they go to uni and live out they'll still need somewhere to come back to half the year. Or if they get a job it's unlikely to be a good enough wage to move out given you and your DP don't think you can manage it with the benefit of twenty odd years career experience and housing equity.

It's not like they turn 18 and will move out that day so you can downsize into two 1 bed flats. Both of them could easily be living with you until they are in their mid twenties or later, there's a thread on here right now about it. If they do go to uni, bear in mind if you are still living together until the youngest turns 18 then the oldest is unlikely to get the full student loan as both of your incomes will be counted so you'll be expected to top them up.

I would just bit the bullet and go for it tbh.