Financial split if one partner is a gambling addict?

[PrivateCry]

My DH is a gambling addict and I am considering separation / divorce after the last relapse episode (£25k in cards and loans).

I haven’t consulted a solicitor. We have been together 25 years and before either of us started earning much. I am the bigger earner and have a larger pension but we both work full time and could potentially support ourselves independently if debts were paid off. We have 2 children (10 and 14). He isn’t on the mortgage (for obvious reasons) and has impacted our finances severely on 3 occasions that I am aware of.

I will shortly be coming into some inheritance which will add c £100k to our savings. I still love him and, addiction aside, he is a good father. Of course I want him to be housed and happy and rightfully set up so we can look after the children together 50/50 if we do split. I could potentially keep the house as the higher earner.

But I am really worried that I will be forced to hand over 50% of everything for him to potentially p**s is up the wind. With his history, is there anything I can do about the split of assets to prevent this? Such as ensure a % of his split goes in trust to my children, for example?

I know I have no control over what he does if we’re not together but wondered if there might be any potential protection or anyone has a similar experience they could share.

@OhDear111- thank you. I think I read this law site just before you.

@prh47bridge- thank you. I agree. I do need to do that as the next step. And muster the courage / energy to try and discuss it all without coming across as a blithering wreck.

@Silverbirchleaf- I don’t have a joint account. All our finances are fully separated. I will however put it in an account and not touch any of it.

I’m sorry you’re going through this OP. Unfortunately you’re going to be relying on his agreement here to do anything protective.

@Jellybunny56- yeah, I think that penny has dropped. I do think he wants to do the right thing. I will just find it so hard to forgive him if he throws all that money into gambling when it could make such a huge difference to the kids when they are older.

But ultimately I don’t think there is anything I can really do.

Do you think he would agree to sign some/most/all of it over to the kids, or is he still in a bad way?

I think he would do at this point in time but not sure in the future, when everything is more final. He does need to live after all. If we are still friends, I think he would take the advice maybe. If he ends up hating me, he’d probably listen to the advice of others and god knows what they’ll tell him.