Experience and entitlement as a single parent

[Hilly1990]

Hi single/ex single mums I could really do with your experience and knowledge on life as a lone parent.
Sadly I feel like over the past few months i have finally woken up to the fact that I am in an emotionally manipulative relationship. I honestly believe my bf loves me but i don't think he knows what he is doing. We are now trying to address the issues at couples counselling, hopefully he can deal with his problems and we can move forward together. However I now know that I do not want a relationship as it currently is and I will not stand for being treated that way. I feel that I have been warn down so much I am left with very little feelings. I hope that he can change and that we will once again become a happy couple and we can be the lovely family with my one year old daughter, but realistically I want to prepare myself for the likely event that it won't happen and we seperate.
I have absolutely no idea what would happen in this instance and how I would cope financially.

We are an unmarried couple with a 1 year old daughter and a cat who have bought a house. I will be working full time and my daughter will be in nursery full time.

Does anybody know if I would be entitled to anything financially? I am a teacher earing 23k.

How do you decide on custody? What happens to the house? We wouldn't have the money to go to court to decide.

What have your experiences been ladies? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks xx

Aside from child maintenance from your partner if you do not have 50/50 shared residence I would have a look at tax credits. Another mum at dc's nursery got a lot of help with nursery costs which I think was through that. Look to register for childcare vouchers through work before registration closes (I think October) if they are a better option for you - you should find an online calculator that would help with that.

Can't help with anything else I'm afraid but hard as it is being a lp it is definitely better than a terrible relationship. Good luck op

As you aren’t married, you don’t have the same financial rights as a married women.

You won’t be entitled to anything (as you aren’t married).

Your OH has an obligation to pay child maintenance for your child.

If you can’t afford to buy one another out of the house, it needs to be sold and the proceeds split as per you set up the deed of trust when you purchased it.

I can’t comment on any benefits you may be entitled to.

It’s not child custody, it’s contact. Start at 50:50 and work back. If you can decide it yourself great. Otherwise a court will decide and they’ll be no flexibility.

On £23k you will get a small amount of Tax Credit and a good share of your nursery fees paid.
You’ll get child benefit too.
Neither of those are affected by maintenance so you’d get that on top. It would be around 15% of your partner’s take home pay, reducing if he has her overnight regularly.
Good luck OP. I’m a single parent and prefer it.