Want to leave, but feel stuck.

[LittleMigraines]

Been with my partner 8 years - not married. We are on a private tenancy together. Two children age 1 and 3. No real other family support. He works full time and earns roughly 3.5k a month, I have universal credit which is about £380pm. I need to leave, I have debated it for quite some time, and things aren't improving and my health is now being affected by all the stress. I dont know if I would even be able to get my own place, with my children, as I don't work and am on UC. He has already said he wouldn't leave as he has nowhere to go. I am not willing to leave the children with him. I cant tolerate all his shouting and self-absorbed ways. So along with the accommodation problem, financial side, there's also the minor problem of all the 'stuff' in the house (furniture, clothes, toys, general stuff, etc), I don't want to just get rid of it, but selling sites seem to take so long and I couldn't afford a storage company to house it for us. I just dont know what to do, I feel trapped.

Take it one step at a time. Check what you’d be entitled to as a single parent - you should be eligible for help with housing costs for a start. Also check what you’d be due in maintenance for the kids. You can’t make decisions based on your current finances because that will change when you don’t have his income to take into consideration. Have a look at housing costs near you and get an idea of what that might look like. If you can make a planned move it’s much better than doing something in a rush.