UK divorce with children involved?

[CoralRainbow]

I don’t know if this is the right place to put this but I don’t really know where else to go and google isn’t helping me. Guess I’m looking for some real life advice based off of experience.

Currently married, live together, have a mortgage and have 2 children both below 5. I want a divorce from my husband but don’t know if it’s the right thing to do.

If we didn’t have children it would be a no question - I’d want a divorce. But with the children involved I don’t know how it will work.

If we share 50/50 custody does that mean that there would be no child maintenance from either of us? We are both on a similar wage (mine is around £34k a year, his is £30ish).

Also finances - will I even be able to live on my own? I doubt I’ll be able to get a mortgage on that wage on my own so what happens there? I can’t live at my parents house with 2 children as well…

Just don’t know what to do.

You’re right that if custody is 50/50 then you won’t get child maintenance. As for where you will live, either you will be able to get enough equity out of the house to enable you to buy somewhere with a small mortgage you can afford, or you will have to rent.

Yes in the circumstances you describe it is unlikely that CM would be payable for a 50/50 residence arrangement.

You would need to rent if you can't afford to buy. How much equity is in the house you own together as that would be split as would pensions etc. Potentially of there are other assets you could get more than 50% of the equity.

You should also check what Universal Credit you may be able to claim. I don't knkw whether you would be entitled but I do see on here people earning quite food money and I am often surprised when they say they also get benefits so worth checking

Yeah that makes sense. I think I was looking at just my wage without adding in any house equity. I will look at the figures again - thank you.

Thank you - that does make sense.
My pension is much better than his.. I will probably come off financially worse from this. I guess it’s just part of it.

Yeah I have done a quick entitlement calculator but not 100% on some figures. I think I’ll just have to get some advice from a solicitor or broker first.

You'll have to rent if you can't afford to buy. If women are honest, it's probably this fact that keeps a lot of them in unhappy marriages

The first thing I did was go and see a broker- once I knew how much I could borrow the decision making was easier

I can absolutely see that. I will do the same

Thank you.