I've been married for 7 years and we've been together for 10years. We have 3 children (8, 5 & 4) and we've been unhappy for over 3 years now. Things have got very bad over the last 18. Months with arguments now frequently infront of the kids. My husband is verbally abusive to me and it is now a regular thing for him to be drunk every night. He drinks in front of the children, at first becomes silly, contradicting any discipline I have in place with the kids; letting then stay up really late, watch unsuitable tv etc. they think he's their hero and when they finally go to sleep his silliness then becomes nastiness. We don't love each other, often tell each other so. I've asked him to leave but he just laughs and says he never will. He sent me I believe into early labour by knocking me out if the way of the fridge when i stupidly tried to stop him get another beer when he was so drunk. His drinking causes family arguments, his parents tell me they would never have him stay with them. He tells me that if I want a divorce then I've got to leave as he's not giving up the house or the kids. Then he tells me that if we split up we should sell the house and go our separate ways. I jump on that he backtracks and tells me he would rather burn the house down than let me keep it or get anything from it. I was the breadwinner , earning a huge salary and I got made redundant when my company knew I was pregnant with my third child. I've retrained and am now working in teaching and despite not earning anywhere near what I used to I like my job and it fits round the children's schooling. My husband is self employed, does a lot of cash work and has told be he won't pay any money for the kids at all. With my tax credits and my wages I could just about manage the mortgage and bills without him at all but I'm not sure how I can legally force him to leave. Arguments are starting to get physical, throwing things etc and whilst there's no physical violence, I'm sure he would never hit hit me, I think what is happening is disturbing enough for the children. He wanted me to work, I was a stay at home mum doing volunteer teaching when I was first made redundant, now I'm working again he moans constantly about having to take the kids to school (even though he can as he's self employed and we therefore save loads in breakfast clubs !) I don't love him, he reminds me constantly that we have no physical relationship and that it's not a marriage, he's right I don't want someone stinking of beer pawing me, I didn't when I was in my 20s and I certainly don't now I'm 40! I have tried to hint to the kids that we may split and my eldest gets really upset even though he always says it's nicer when daddy's not here there's no shouting! Friends and family say I'm happier when he's not around and that's so true. I bought the family car a few years back and it was then sold and we got another car in finance in his name, we sold that and then he bought another car which I drive. He tells me all the time that it is his car and he's taking it back! It's like he's taunting me! Saying things like "how are you getting to work tomorrow with no car then?!" Very silly but also horrid and demoralising. My wages pay the mortgage and my tax credits the bills, any money he gives me allows me to play catch up every month in my £2000 overdraft! When he gives me money he says I'm taking his money; what he earns is always his, he never thinks of money as ours / it's the family's like I've always done do I know there's little chance of any child maintenance but to be honest I don't care, I just want rid of him but am desperate to keep the house do there is continuity for my children. Advice please!!!!!