if i wanted a divorce, would i get alimony? or is that just an american thing?

[stitchthezenmaster]

does anyone know anything at all about this?
i gave up work years ago to take care of babies, aand so tht dh could have his career. if i went back to my old career, i wouldnt stand a snowballs chance in hell of competing etc etc.
i will be making an appointment soon.to see lawyer. does anyone know how much that costs??
im a complete ignoramous im afraid

You may be entitled to Legal Aid - although it is a loan, not a gift and if you recover or preserve money or property, you may have to pay it back although at a much lower rate than you would have if you instructed a Solicitor privately.

It is impossible to say whether you would be paid maintenance (UK alimony!!) without knowing all hte financial info.

Go see a Solicitor listed here if possible.

if you gave up work to look after the household and raise the family..that is given a financial worth in the final analysis......

try going to CAB, they often have free legal clinics and many firms of solitcitors give you a free intital consultation..whihc will give you a better idea of where you will stand......

thnks, will be assking for anppintment tomorrow

If there's a gap between what you'll get (child maintenance on a sliding scale, child benefit, poss. part time earnings and, if those are more than 16 hours pwk, tax credits), and what you need, then the chances are that you'll get spousal maintenance, assuming that you dh can afford to pay it.
Depending on how old your kids are, these days the court would usually expect you to make some effort to get a job, but not immediately. In a lot of my cases, I get maintenance for a fixed term, maybe 5 years or so, to give the woman a chance to retrain and get back on the career ladder. In other cases, she'll get maintenance until the younger child is adult, on the presumption that then she'll downsize and invest the excess to provide an income. Other times, maintenance is not subject to any end date other than the first death or the wife remarrying.
Try www.resolution.org to find a specialist family lawyer.
It sounds as though you may well be eligible for Public Funding, which I don't know much about, but that depends on your savings being fairly small.

Interesting that the courts expect the mother to go back to work (albeit not immediately) whereas the government specifically exclude single parents with children under 16 from the requirements of Job Seeker's Allowance. Finding work which fits in with school hours, etc., is pretty darn difficult. Perhaps the courts don't consider that aspect.

stitch - I am glad to read this thread. Well, not happy that you are having to do this, but y'know. I've read lots of your threads in the past about how unhappy you are in your marriage but how impossible you've felt any other option is. I'm glad you are finding a way back into the sunshine

ndp, ive just had enough. dont wnt to be bothered with strong emotions any more.
thank you for that mchum. its the sort of thing i need to know.i personally have no savings, well, 55 quid in a savings account. dh manages everything to do with money. very stupid i know. he cn afford it.. maybe not comfortably, but he has savings property, high ernign etc
i have found a local solicitor throught the resolution website. appt on mondy. but they say its a fixed ffee, £60 plus vat half hour appt. they dont do free initil consulttions.

ive also told dh i want a divorce. ive had enough, and i want him out of my life. ithink he has actually heard me.. ive lso told him im seeing a lawyer. though im not sure he believes me. lets see wht hppens

freckle, im such an ignoramous. i dont even know about jobseekers allowance etc.

Basically, if you are capable of working, then you will not be able to claim Income Support. You would have to claim JSA (there are 2 sorts: means-tested, which takes into account any income coming into the house; and contribution-based, which is not means-tested, but based on your national insurance contributions). However, if you are the single parent of a child or children under the age of 16, you can claim Income Support and be exempt from the requirement to actively seek work.