Please can any lone parents answer these questions for me (re: what happens re: house, finances etc when you split up)

[greenballoon]

If you are a SAHM, joint mortgage with partner (who is self-employed so variable income), 2 children what happens when you split up?

I need to know about:

-How do you/ can you stay in the home? (Financially that is, as HB doesn't cover mortgages does it?)

-What sort of money should your partner be paying you towards the children each week? (youngest being 4)

-What other benefits help is available?

-Is it do-able to stay in the family home? (mortgage about the same or possibly less than rent would be but obviously not paid by benefits)

Any help/advice greatly appreciated.

I know weekends are quiet on here but will pop back and check for replies later

Thanks

The first question I'd ask is, once you split up, are you going to continue being a SAHM and therefore claim lone parent's income support, or are you going to work (and be entitled to WTC and CTC and help with childcare costs)?

Maintanance is calculated as 15% of income for one child, I'm not sure of the figure for two, 20% maybe, so your ex should be paying at least that much in maintanance.

I cannot help you re the home I'm afraid, but yes HB won't pay mortgage and you may have to buy your ex out?

I would recommend going to the job centre and speaking to a lone parent advisor, they will be able to answer all your questions, and are, in my experience, generally very helpful supportive people.

If you are claiming IS then after 13 weeks (it's recently changed from 39 weeks) you can get help with the interest on the mortgage up to 100k - I believe this figure is going up to 175k some time in the future.

OMDB - I think she may find it difficult to speak to a Lone Parent Advisor until she's actually applied for IS - when I rang when exH and I split up earlier this year I was told I woud only be given an appointment with one once I was on IS.

I found gingerebread to be fantastic when i became a single parent. Much much much better than cab. The number is on the interenet. They made it not look so bleak adn said all i had to do to make it worthwhile.

Good luck in this hour. You can make it

Thank you OMDB.

Re: SAHM v working - originally I was looking for part-time work but things may be different now. I get the impression that I won't necessarily be better off working as a single parent?

FAQ and jellyjelly -thanks for that too.

Will follow up the gingerbread lead as "bleak" is definitely how its looking to me now

it was bleak, cab made it feel bleaker but ginger were good. I think you have to say to them what do i have to do to make it better for me. They gave me lots of different scenes but it was hard to know what was best. I needed max incomings and they told me how many hours i needed to work. Was useful

Ah yes FAQ, I think you are right in fact. I found CAB rather bleak, and didn't tell me anything I couldn't find out for myself on the internet. Gingerbread a good idea.

Yes, working part time as a single parent may not leave you any better off than claiming lone parents income support.

I found that, before DS was at school, even working full time as a teacher left me no better off, because the rent was so high, so gave up in the end. It is tough, I wish you all the luck.

There is a website called entitled to which you might find useful to see what help you can get.

I hope that helps

Good Luck

I had a look at entitledto.com but the problem is DP's earnings vary, we haven't actually split so no maintenance agreed and so on -without specific figures its difficult to work out.

it all depends on what your financial needs are and whether or not your ex can pay to meet those needs. if he can and still afford the same lifestyle as you then he would be expected to pay spousal maintenance to meet those costs. he would also need to pay child maintenance in any case. regarding the house. if you have enough savings to pay the mortgage until you were in position to work again. you can stay in house and your ex can retain an interest in the house payable when your youngest hits 18 years of age. just how much money you are entitled to depends on how much cash you have between you after all debts considered. you are entitled to 50% of everything although you may be entitled to larger share of house if your ex has a greater earning potential than you or if he was able to take out a new mortgage when you wouldn't be etc. lots to consider. depends also if you are married, getting divorced, can afford solicitor etc. good luck.