I've been divorced since 2018. Married to ExH for 14 years. We have 1 DS. I saw the light and realised he'd been abusing me psychologically and financially. Putting fear into me to make me reliant on him.
I work part time during school hours and I claim Universal Credit and Child Benefit. DS has residency with me through a court order. ExH makes no financial contribution to DS and does not pay any maintenance. He works but doesn't declare it so I can't chase him for money.
It's been one thing after another for many years with ExH trying all sorts of different ways to ruin me financially. To him it's a game. From utility company scams, insurance fraud, fraudulent activity with the bank and benefit fraud, and I get caught up in the middle.
Since I moved over from Child Tax Credit to Universal Credit just over a year ago it's been a constant struggle. He has realised that if he goes online to make a claim for DS with Universal Credit, it automatically stops my payment. I go through the whole process of making an appointment with UC, taking the day off work, getting all my documents together, travelling 25 miles to the UC office, to prove once again I am entitled to claim. I did this 3 times last year with UC and once with HMRC for Child Benefit. It is relentless and I'm fed up. UC said that there isn't anything they can do as it's a computer system thing and they can't stop it from happening.
ExH is now taking UC to a tribunal that they say I can attend if I'd like to because it's my claim. It's for 4 months worth of payments last year.
I am so sick of this, it's making me ill. It's a dark cloud hanging over me constantly. I don't know what to do or who to turn to. I've been to the police who tell me to log everything with them but in reality there isnt much they can do as it's a civil matter and not a police matter. I've been to Women's Aid and been turned away because they are so inundated with cases. Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.