CM - Should I be paying it if DP can't?

[looperstar]

DP unexpectedly in between contracts atm, has'nt earned for a couple of months, has told CSA and they have judged no payments until he's back in work as he can't claim benefits. It shouldn't be long before he gets another contract, but in the meantime SS's mum wants 'us' to continue to make the normal payments to her, which in reality means me as DP has no money coming in and we keep separate finances. She keeps saying we owe her back payments even though the CSA have told her he cant opay atm.
I could probably give her some money if we cut even more corners than we are already with just my pay coming in, but I don't feel it's my responsibility to do so and neither does DP. One of my friends thinks IABVU and I should pay it on DP's behalf so that SS doesn't suffer whuile his dad isn't paying. What have others done in this situation?

[Ouchbloodyouch]

You are so right dinosaur my brother (who doesn't have any stepchildren) contracts through his own limited company. It keeps everything tidier makes financial planning more straightforward (provided the work is there)
For all those berating the OPs partner for not trying harder to secure ANY work at all costs I am assuming that the work he does supports the children very well when he has a contract. A two month gap with the expectation of returning to a well paid line of work should be acceptable ?
Obviously if a contract isn't forthcoming then yes, any work is better than none.
But if you had stable work on a secure contract at 15k per year or 30k net as a contractor with a two month gap of nada surely the latter is preferable?

[NeedsAsockamnesty]

I have always paid CM to my SD and still do even tho I am no longer with her father(she does still spend one weekend a month visiting me when possible and is very much a part of my family).
I do it because I choose to not because I have to.

You have no obligation to but you can if you want to.

My choice to do so is sort of led by my inability to tolerate NRP's who just can't be bothered to facilitate their children being supported and I would think less of one who didn't consider it to be a priority none negotiable debt and chances are would ditch one who didn't bust a gut to sort it short term and personally find it long term.

I don't expect her mother to be grateful I do it and I really wouldn't have done when I was with her dad, CM is something a RP should just be able to rely and count on even if in real life these days you can't.