ok may be different in different parts of the uk but i have enquired about seperating from H and i have been to solicitor, and CAB, and so far this is what i have been told,
try to put as much money away for yourself as you can,
go onto CAB website and read up as much as you can, they have lots of information,
see if your solicitor can apply for legal aid for you,
the women usually get to stay in the home with the children, unless you have huge debts, or negative equity, or their are other issues going on, a judge will not throw a mother and her kids out on the street just because it pisses the husband off that she can stay in the home,
if possible change the mortage to interest only, to reduce the payments,
when the divorce proceedings start you will need to change the occupancy of your home to your name only,your sol should be able to help advise you with this, it may cost a couple of hundred pounds,this will stay in place until you remarry, co habit with someone for more than six months, or when your youngest child turns 18 or finishes full time education, which ever comes first,
if you sell the house in the meantime your exhusband will then be entilted to his share of the house,
there are 2 types of injunctions you can get against your husband,if you need to, you will need to go the courts with your sol, and apply for them, one is an injuction against voilent behavouir, and the other is a bigger one an injunction against him coming near you and the home, these are cheap to get, hence the importance of applying for legal aid,
you will also need to consider changing your will if you have one,
sorry about spelling in a rush, hope i may of been some help, i am still pondering over all of this and are yet to act on it, but there is help out there if you need it, xx