Ex pays £350 for five children and expects me to provide food

[Bonjovirocks123]

Ex gives £350 for 5 kids but gets £1000 benefits
So i have 5 kids with my ex he gives me £350 a month for them so £70 for each child he its homeless at momemt but still gets £1000 in benefits he see them 4 times a week most offen its at my house becaues he blows his money he thinks on his days he see the kids at my house that i should have to supply the food for the kids because thats what i get paid off him for and why i get child benefit its this right? I cant help but feel like he talking the piss its a stuggle already

I can see this would be very difficult, but if his entire income is £1k and currently homeless, how is he supposed to live inc accommodation on less than £650 a month?

Whats your total income; you must get a fair amount of help from the government (child benefit, UC, housing…?).

If he’s on benefits he actually only has to pay £7 ?

This is a very difficult situation, £350 is not a lot of money for 5 children and he should be feeding his DC on days he sees them but I'm not really sure it's feasible if he's only on 650 a month and currently homeless

If he’s not earning and he’s solely on benefits he doesn’t need to give you £350. You don’t need to let him see the children in your home. How long has he been homeless, was he seeing them as much before when he had contact at wherever he was living? Is he likely to be housed again soon? It sounds messy but if you’re happy to have him come over you can’t expect him to bring food for them with him, I think that’s what you’re suggesting. He’ll say no, then what do you do?

How would this work if you didn't let him see the dc at your house? It's probably in yours and their best interests to have him see them in their stable home, rather than at a contact centre or some other random place! He doesn't have a home of his own to take them to.
If he was an absent father or not paying any child support, you would still be feeding your kids 100% of the time - I can't see why it's such a big deal to supply them with food while dad is there. It doesn't have to be massively expensive .

I feel like this is taking the piss out of everyone! Mostly tax payers.

If he wasn’t homeless he’d be paying you less as his rent would be taken into consideration.

I know - why don’t you do a bit or role reversal? He can move back into the family home and you can give him £350 a month plus see the kids 3x a week in the home as you’ll be homeless - oh and he gets to keep the Child Benefit.

Don't you need an address to claim benefits?

That's a bit unfair @Soontobe60 we don't know why he's homeless, or any of the background to this.

He's homeless and on benefits. His current contribution is significant in relation to his income. You'll be able to claim other benefits not even taking into consideration his contribution so I'm not sure what else you expect realistically.

Outgoings aren’t taken into consideration for child maintenance.

That said if he’s on benefits then he likely would have a £7 week liability rather than £350 a month so the OP may need to tread carefully

You can’t be serious?

You’ve said yourself he’s homeless? You’re getting 35% of his income, which I understand is probably no where near what the kids use however it’s a lot…. Probably too much for what he ‘earns’ I can see the point he’s making here? I feel like this can’t be serious??

Someone on benefits would not pay £350.00 it's only 7 pounds. Your talking nonsense

That sounds like quite a large contribution relative to what his income is. I know it doesn’t sound like much but most people would struggle to get by on £650 a month.
When he visits them four times a week at your house, how long is it for? Why would he bring them food to your house, the place where they live? They just eat the food they would have been eating if he didn’t visit surely? You’d probably get much less if you went through official channels.

Something about this does not add up. If he is out of work and homeless then there is no way he has to pay you £350 a month. So ask yourself do you want them seeing him or not. Personally I would prefer them at my house and fed.

Any danger of anyone getting a job? 5 kids but someone else has to pay for them!!!

There is so much wrong with this.

Well, you’re going to have to provide the food. Why is he homeless?

If he is on benefits then he shouldn’t be paying any more than £7 a week. He needs the money to get himself settled, get a job and then start contributing and taking the kids for proper contact time.

The OP might have a job. I work. I also get child benefit as do millions of people.

I wonder if this is a wind up thread?

If this is actually true it is very unlikely the OP works

First off why can’t he get a job?
Secondly if he gets £1,000 per month and is giving you £350, that’s a large chunk. How can he live off £650 a month?
It sounds to me like he is doing the best he can do at the moment. Of course he is going to see them at your house, he is homeless, that is a better environment for everyone. I think you’re being unreasonable to expect him to bring food 4 times a week too.

Kindly, you are being unreasonable. £350 a month for a homeless, unemployed person is a lot of money. He isnt legally obliged to give you that. He isnt being a deadbeat. He is seeing his kids 4 days a week. In the sort term he's having contact at yours and everyone is earning there. In the longer term when he has accommodation he will have is contact in his space and have to provide for the kids. I think you need to have some compassion. Your situation could become a lot worse financially and support wise if you are an arsehole.