SAHM - what would happen if DH left?

[latrucha]

It's not imminent but I have to consider it.

I'm a SAHM witha 20 month old DS and a four year old DD. If the marriage broke down and DH left the family home, would I be entitled to claim any benefits? He would be doing the leaving. He says he doesn't love me anymore.

My mortgage is about £80 a month, I have just under £3000 in bank savings and about £11 000 in ISAs. The mortgage is joint; the savings are in my name.

I am financially dependent on DH. DD starts school after Easter. DS is at home with me though we are sending him to a paying nursery two mornings a week after Easter. Obviously, he doesnt have to do this.

DH earns about £37 000.

Please?

Not sure on ins and outs of benefits but my friend left her husband recently. They both moved out of family home and sold it. She didn't get benefits or rent on new place paid as they had equity in family home and she had some savings in her name. Pretty sure you have to use your savings to live on 1st so might be worth putting them in someone elses name that you trust. Sorry I'm not that helpful but hopefully this will bump thread and someone else with more knowledge will see it. Best of luck x

Hello didn't want to leave this unanswered. Sorry about your situation it sounds very sad.

I am absolutely not an expert but I imagine you'd be entitled to some sort of maintenance from you DH and you'd still get child benefit of course. I'm not sure about tax credits but you might be entitled to that too.

I have no idea if your savings would affect anything. Sorry to not be more useful.

Thanks for your replies.

I would keep the house I have put every penny I ever had in it and paid nearly al the mortgage. DH agrees.

LaT - look at entitledto.com

I found it very helpful

Thanks Simps.

Good luck, you know where I am if you need to chat

Putting your savings in someone else's name to avoid using them to claim Benefits is called 'wilfull deprevation of assets' and is a crime.

Very very bad advice from mum23girlys

I don't think I would have done it but thanks.

A lifetime ago when #i briefly claimed benefits there was a certain amount you were allowed to have saved without having to use it. Has that gone now? I don't know how having the hose would affect it anyway.

LaT - you can have some savings, I forget if its 3K or 7K, suspect its 3K though!!!

I'm pretty sure it was £8000 when I claimed but that was abou twenty years ago.

Ok just seen something online (that was 3mths ago) that says its 6K

Most means tested benefits disregard any savings under 6k, then take into account an assumed income from the rest. Simpson is right, the calculator on entitledto.com is very helpful. Some also disregard Child Benefit and maintenance payments.

Sorry to hear about your situation OP, hope it all works out ok :)

Just gutted to even having to be thinking about it. My parents divorced and there is no doubt, quite apart from anything else, that we lost out financially as a family in a big way.

Your husband will need the savings no doubt as rent/deposit on his own place if you are having the house. He will need somewhere for the children to stay.

Start at the beginning and go to see a solicitor. You have a lot of legal rights as a wife with children and an ex husband has a responsibility to support you. If you are financially dependent make moves to correct that. Have your own bank account into which any child-related benefits are deposited and consider seeking work so that you have an independent income. Beyond that, there is state help available and running a 'what if' through the Turn2Us Benefits Calculator can show you how much.

I do have my own bank account and child benefit is paid into that. I'm also thinking of going back to work, although it has not been what we have planned as I think it might make things easier whether or not there is a split ahead.

Thanks