So as the titles says, I'm seriously considering leaving my husband. Wrve been together almost 10 years, married for 7 and have a 3 year old daughter together. The relationship has broken down significantly over the years and I'm almost at my breaking point so I'm just trying to get financially organised for if I do actually get the guts to leave...
We have a home with a mortgage that's we've been in for 5 (almost 6) years. My question is if I was to leave and get a small flat for myself and my daughter, would I still be entitled to help with housing costs? As in help towards rent, I'm not sure because I would still own 50% of the home and the mortgage so would me leaving be classed as intentionally making myself homeless? I've done some calculations and think I may manage if I was to receive no help towards housing, but I desperately don't want to put my daughter into a position where we would be living in poverty. I work 16 hours per week currently but if needed, I would absolutely increase my working hours to provide for us.
Also, anybody who has been in my position and left, how did you go about it? How did you tell your husband, family, friends? Did you get a new home organised first or did you talk to your husband first??
I'm so lost in how to go about it, without disrupting everyone's lives! But I can't live like this anymore for my own mental health!!
Thanks for reading if you got this far, and thanks in advance for any help you can offer!