Child Maintenance

hello there

I wonder if anyone can help me. I have been separated for 5 years and divorced for 2. My ex left me when I was 6 months pregnant with our second child for a wealthy woman with 4 children of her own (who her ex supports and he has custody). They now have another child between them.

He is a freelancer and says he hasn't had any work since Christmas so has stopped paying maintenance for me and the kids. He is living a very nice lifestyle though as his wife is wealthy enough to keep him, he has had 5 weeks in New Zealand, a month at a luxury villa in Mallorca and is having a month in Ibiza in the summer at her expense - all within 6 months. Yet despite all of this he says he cannot give me any money to help me support the children.

I have a court order for maintenance but he says to me that he has no money to give me of his own and his wife won't give him any to help our kids so what can I do? If I go to court and he is earning nothing, surely they won't say he has to give me anything. Can they make him go and get any kind of job or can he perhaps claim jobseekers allowance even if married to a woman with savings? Any ideas gratefully received as I am at a loss to know what to do and am really struggling financially.

Thanks

There is nothing you can do. If he is earning nothing, there is nothing the court can order him to pay you. Sorry.

Amanda

Thank you Amanda, I appreciate your response. Would you know if he is entitled to claim jobseekers allowance if he is married to someone with savings?

Regards

Sophie