Hi
Youngest DD’s dad has never paid a penny.
He kicked us out when she was 11 months after we had been together 5yrs, she’s now nearly 15. Looking to go to uni eventually, so will be a dependant for ages yet.
Money is getting tight, I’ve never sought money from him as about a year before we split (incl when I was pregnant) he started drinking a lot, spent every night in the dodgy local, got involved with drugs and was violent towards me.
I was already pregnant so no judgey mcjudgeness please. I didn’t leave as I was too scared and I told myself he would change when the baby arrived. He didn’t- he got worse and even started dealing.
My word fell apart.
Anyway, in many ways I’m still recovering but have never sought maintenance as I thought he would turn up, try to take DD or at the very least demand contact whereby she would be court ordered to be forced to spend every other weekend there, he would be in and out of her life, would make my life miserable- I was scared of him and him putting our DD in danger.
Ends aren’t meeting at the end of the month. She’s never shown any interest in him. His total lack of contact would now work in my favour (I am in contact with his mum but she’s got ‘my son is the golden one and nothing is ever his fault’ syndrome).
Should I go for child maintainance now??
He has no other children, and earns about £350 a week before tax. A little bird told me.