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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

I'm A Mug & Now A Single Mum - Help!

39 replies

wellthisiscrap · 21/09/2014 15:17

DP & I have been together for 7 years with history of emotional & physical abuse from him to me. I'm ashamed to say I've been a complete mug this entire time and have constantly taken him back because I'm terrified of being alone and have abandonment issues. I also have a mental health issue and a physical pain condition so his presence made day to day life better to the children in terms of getting things done and helped me immensely.

Long story short, I've been mugged off again. He's lied for over a year conspiring with his parents (we don't get on) to apply for university. He told me Friday he wasn't in work, he'd moved two hours away into student halls. I convinced him to come back as I'd just found out my grandma had a few hours to live and I needed him to pick up our oldest DD from school (she's 6). He came back, we talked, he promised me he would come back and do both uni and live with us….only to leave the next morning after lying to DD1 that he was just going to the shop. He's changed his mobile number, I don't know which halls he's in, his parents keep putting the phone down on me when I ask for new contact details and I'm pretty sure this may be rock bottom. I've emailed him about 8 times begging him to call the girls but nothing. He doesn't give a shit.

He's left us high and dry. He pays the excess on our rent (£200 a month) which I can't afford to. I don't know how we're going to get around that. With my mental health in dire straits right now and my physical condition flaring due to the stress it's a struggle to make sure the girls are bathed right now let alone to school on time and so on. We can meet 90% of our bills but have absolutely nothing extra so will be in broke AND in debt. My grandma is still holding on but it's really sooner rather than later and we're very close. I'm going through it all on my own. I work freelance jobs while being technically unemployed so I don't know how that's going to work as I no longer have anyone to look after my children. No car, no money & my only form of childcare is my sister who lives 10 miles away and works full time with her own children.

How do I do this? I've given up trying to contact him & I'm ashamed to say anything to people other than my sister because I know how much of a fool I have been. I'm terrified of not being able to handle the two children on my own and ending up being evicted due to lack of rent money. I've spent the last 30 or so hours in absolute devastated tears trying to tidy up between them to be productive. He doesn't give a shit about us, does he? Now he has no responsibilities, a degree towards a career to work for & his own place without us he's happy and we're just HERE. Like fucking idiots.

We're not too young. I'm 26 and he's 29 so really old enough to both know better. DD2 (3) is asking if I'm going to leave her every time I put my shoes on because she's so upset about him leaving and terrified I'm going too. She's a real daddy's girl and it's destroyed her nerves to the point where she won't sleep anywhere that's not on or right up next to me.

I'm kicking myself. I know this is our way out to a happier life in the long term but it all seems so hopeless right now. I just want him to talk to them and tell them he'll see them soon. I want him to miss us, to care or - well, I don't know. I want him to know that none of this is ok but I know that I can't control that. I'm sorry this is so long. I just need some advice on how to cope from here forward. Thanks.

OP posts:
wellthisiscrap · 21/09/2014 15:20

Should mention, we were due to get married next month. I had no idea all of this planning had gone on behind my back as he got all the paperwork sent to his mum's but he's applied through UCAS, for halls & loans etc and it's all sorted so this has been going on for over a year. All the while I'm working on making our life better and looking forward to marrying him. Fucking hell.

OP posts:
Smilesandpiles · 21/09/2014 15:43

You need the plaster method.

Rid him for you life this instant and keep it that way. Delete his numbers and his parents numbers, all email addresses and any other forms of communication. DO NOT contact him in any way shape or form and this will get easier and easier as time goes on the first 4 weeks or so are the worst bit...it's a piece of cake after that.

You've said it yourself, he doesn't give a shit about you or your kids, stop chasing him. You don't need him, you just think you do.

You have a lot to deal with so you need to prioritise. You, the kids, somewhere to live and your gran in that order.

Your gran isn't going to want to see you like this, she wants you to be happy and strong. Make it happen.

Go and see a mental health specialist if you haven't already. Make a plan of things you need to do this week. Do them. This time next week, make another plan and keep doing this until you don't need to anymore...

Talk to the council/landlord about your rent, they may be able to help in some way. Go to the doctors and get some sleeping pills, you will need them.

Ask friends and family to help you out - you don't have to tell them everything, just that you need some help for a while with the odd thing.

You are at a low point, possibly the lowest you've ever been so there's nothing to be afraid of. The only way you can go is back up. Get angry for him taking you for a ride for so long, get angry at him for the lies and deception, get angry at him just for existing and use that anger to get through the shit you have ahead of you..this anger will also give you the drive, ambition and determination you have never felt before, and god almighty, they need to bottle that stuff because NOTHING will stop you and you will make sure that no one, NO ONE will ever treat you like that again. It's your way or no way.

You can get through this, you have to, you've got no choice about it, the trick is, you need to learn from this, about yourself and what you want and need from not just other people but from yourself as well...

Smilesandpiles · 21/09/2014 15:49

Oh, and the wedding stuff? You know you need to cancel it all but be happy about it! You are not being taken for a fool anymore, you don't have any abuse to put up with anymore, you are not wasting your life and your kids lives and you now have the chance to show your kids, what they should be aiming for in a relationship, show them that they can do it on their own too - just like you are, that you don't need to be in a relationship to be happy...

You can turn everything around now you have the chance to do so...take it and run with it. You've been unhappy for many many years, you don't have to be anymore..you can change that.

This has the potential to be a fantastic new start for you, it hurts, and you think I'm talking out of my arse...but what if I told you I was duped in a very similar way to you? Lied to? all of my plans and dreams pulled out from under me?

I've been there, where you are now and it's shit, it really really is, but you know what? It's been 4 years and it has turned out to be the best bloody thing he ever did, I just wish he did it sooner!

grobagsforever · 21/09/2014 15:51

Some practical ideas:

a) Turn2Us site to calculate benefit entitlement

b) Can you get an au pair/housemate to help with rent/childcare?

c) He will still be liable for child support. Contact CSA tomorrow.

d) Any friends that you could do childcare swaps with?

grobagsforever · 21/09/2014 15:53

Sell anything he's left behind

petalsandstars · 21/09/2014 15:56

Try csa - but if he's a student - he may worm out of paying Sad

justiceofthePeas · 21/09/2014 15:57

Yy don't contact him
But DO contact CSA, the council to see if you can get housing, tax credits in case you are due more and the social security.

Even though he won't get much as a student he still has to give you some. Would nor surprise me if he is claiming he has dependentsHmm and it sets the principle so that if, in future he gets a better job you get more money.

You are better off though. May not seem like it but you have lost several stones of dead weight there.

Good luck OP. Reach out for help.

wellthisiscrap · 21/09/2014 16:46

I have all the benefits I'm entitled to written down & will be going to claim a bit more HB & council tax benefit tomorrow. HB doesn't cover everything but covers about £60 more than I'm paying now due to the LHA & the price of the house.

I will contact the CSA tomorrow. I'm not expecting anything from him as a student so if it does turn out I'm entitled to something then that's all the better for us.

He hasn't left anything behind bar a few books. I was at work and he was 'at work' when his dad was actually moving him in so he's managed to take everything that's firmly his with one swoop around the house. Everything that's joint or mine is here though so that's a plus.

I want to stay living here so if I can find a way around the rent issue I'd hope I don't have to move. It's a lovely rented house that allows my dogs and the landlord let me decorate it so it's all to my taste. I know that seems like a small and illogical thing to be focusing on and I'd learn to be perfectly happy elsewhere too but it feels like MY house rather than ours if you know what I mean? It's a small consolation to be able to stay here settled around nice things rather than dealing with moving.

OP posts:
wellthisiscrap · 21/09/2014 16:55

Forgot to say, I've been in touch with my CPN who's coming over to see me tomorrow & has told me to sort things out in writing in pro's & con's list etc so I can get past the emotions and look at things in black and white. Planning on doing that tonight to show her tomorrow and hopefully things will start becoming a little more clear.

Right now I feel so trodden down that if he walked through the door I'd probably run right up to him and welcome him back. It's been so long doing this that I can't imagine another way so it's a good thing that he's not contacting me because it's giving me time. The love, however illogical, is still there and I can't seem to get over that right now so I feel like holing up until things look brighter and I can stop crying.

OP posts:
trappedinsuburbia · 21/09/2014 17:20

Contact your council and ask about the discretionary housing payment, its a payment towards the shortfall between rent and housing benefit for anyone thats struggling.

honeycrest · 21/09/2014 17:21

What a heartless, cowardly bastard. How anyone could do that is beyond me. And with the support of his parents Sad Your poor kids. Does he plan on having no contact with them at all? You've had a shock and it's normal that you feel sad despite his treatment of you. I'm sure the anger will come in a few days and you will see that you're better off without this abusive arsehole.

Sorry I don't have any useful advice, I can only echo what others have said re contacting the CSA and finding out what benefits you are entitled to.

trappedinsuburbia · 21/09/2014 17:28

Oh and my own (bitter) experience reminds me students dont pay child support.

wellthisiscrap · 21/09/2014 17:40

Ah damn! Is it still worth contacting the CSA in case he does get a job alongside his degree because I doubt I'd know if he did?

I'm not sure about not having any contact. It's only been since yesterday he left without contact so I don't know if he has thoughts further down the line. Right now there's been no contact though so I'm willing to believe that until I hear otherwise & I'm preparing myself for that in case.

OP posts:
Hatespiders · 21/09/2014 17:51

You poor lamb, you must be on the floor. BUT (this is going to sound cynical) what an excellent thing the wedding isn't going to happen. He's behaved in the most cowardly and dishonourable way possible by slinking off secretly like this with his mummy and daddy assisting him. You've escaped by the skin of your teeth from being shackled to a total arsehole. Get busy (as others above have already said) sorting out the mess with finances, support, accommodation expenses etc. Get strong, with anger driving you. And I advise not contacting him again in any way. That way his influence over you will slowly fade and you'll stop 'loving' him. You'll look back on this as the time when you found your inner power. And ahead is probably a lovely man in the future who will truly adore you and make your life blossom. You're young and have a whole life in front of you. Without a nasty, cruel little shit making you ill and miserable. Kindest thoughts for you.

jadey101 · 21/09/2014 17:52

I work freelance jobs while being technically unemployed so I don't know how that's going to work

Dunno, you could try getting a job where youre not committing benefit crime? Seems crazy I know.

It's a lovely rented house that allows my dogs and the landlord let me decorate it so it's all to my taste

You cant afford the house so find somewhere else. It really is that simple. I am sick of people thinking they should be able to have everything they desire without even working for it. Find a house 'you' can afford on HB and everyone else will pick up the tab.

jadey101 · 21/09/2014 17:54

benefit fraud*

Jacksonville14 · 21/09/2014 17:57

If he was paying the £200 rent shortfall then you need to alter whatever you are claiming to a single person claim too?

oldgrandmama · 21/09/2014 18:01

Wow, you're all heart, jadey101! Not.

wellthisiscrap · 21/09/2014 18:01

I'm not committing benefit fraud. I don't claim any out of work benefits and have to submit my earnings every month to tax credits and housing benefit in order for them to readjust the claim. DP was only on an 8 hour contract with work when we were together and did a lot of overtime so it was a case of how much we earned per month in order to get any kind of benefit. Now I won't be able to work any freelance jobs so I'll need to sign on to some sort of out of work benefit is what I mean. I also have to change everything over from being in a couple to being single and see how that affects things.

As for the house, it's not as simple as just finding somewhere else to live. I am on the council list but I'm adequately housed and not homeless so it won't affect my place on the list. I don't have any deposit to get back from this house and no money at all to go to another private landlord or through an agency with their fees to get somewhere smaller. I'd need to not pay my rent here for three months in order to afford a bond, agency fees and the first months rent on a new place and that doesn't include removal fees.

OP posts:
glenthebattleostrich · 21/09/2014 18:04

jadey, any particular reason you feel the need to kick the OP whilst she's down or are you just generally a nasty bitch?

OP, please ignore the vile troll.

Make a list of what you need to do, then prioritise. There will be extra help for you. And yes, put in a CMS claim. He needs to support his children. And when he gets his nice shiney job you can claim 15 or 20 % of his wages towards the costs of raising your children (forget which).

Tell your oldests school too, they will be able to keep an eye on her and support her. They may also be able to get a councillor for her to talk too if she needs it.

wellthisiscrap · 21/09/2014 18:09

I'm going to do the list tonight along with the pros and cons. Had a couple of bad minutes face down on the bed while the girls were eating their dinner but I'm slightly more composed now.

I'm a bit nervous as to how long all of this will take. I know it will be backdated but until then I'm left with literally 75p to my name and no way of contacting him. He gets paid tomorrow from work (his last wage as he gave a months notice and finished Thursday evening) and usually it goes into his account and we split the bills out and have a little extra for a takeaway or to take the girls somewhere nice. I've obviously been banking on that money so it's a bit of a shit situation. I have no idea if he's intending on giving any towards our bills but I'd say no.

OP posts:
Jacksonville14 · 21/09/2014 18:16

A new claim shouldn't take long.

I would not contact him at all - but I would put in a claim for child maintenance sharpish.

jadey101 · 21/09/2014 18:18

This reply has been deleted

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oldgrandmama · 21/09/2014 18:26

You're not Katie Hopkins by any chance, jadey101? Just asking ... Angry
Honestly, talk about kicking someone when they're down ...

Smilesandpiles · 21/09/2014 18:28

Fuck off Jadey.