making agreements legal

My ex and i have an 11 month old daughter and a verbal agreement that he will send money monthly in maintinence payments as he has decided to do an MA and so is a student and thus has little money (this was entirely his choice and he could already get a decent job with the degree he already has)

Anyway, i am really annoyed. For a long time he sent no money. Then he gave me a couple of hundred pounds two consecutive months in summer when he worked full time. He have me £50 in December once he had found a part time job, then nothing in January as he was ill and had exams and therefore could not work. The total amound i have recieved to date is £250.

Usually, he offers some kind of explanation as to why he cannot send money. This month i had to contact him so see whats going on. I have been hit by winter bills, and car repairs and so am struggling to buy our daughter some shoes which she desperately needs. He then proceeds to make me feel bad for asking, and says he can only afford to send £30 as he has had exams etc etc. He says this will cover the cost of the shoes.

I am so annoyed becuase it feels so degrading to ask him for money. I provide everything for her normally and would have jsut bought the shoes if i had the money (as i do with everything else). I just feel that i am always putting our daughter first and giving her what she needs, and he just does what he likes and expects me to foot the bill.

Is it time to make things legal, by either making our vebal agreement legal or going through the CSA. How do i go about this?

Thanks

You will get nothing via the CSA as he will be on a nil rate if he is a student in full time education where they are having at least 12 hours tuition a week.

However if he has other weekly income of more than £100 you could ask for an increase.

angle 557 is right

i am afriad

My only advice is to get the benifits to help and i dont know if you work or not but if you do you will get help in form of child tax credits and working tax credits

I know it is not much help about your ex but do you have any family who can babysit for 16 hours a week you will find you have more money that way and income support is granted too on this

seany xxx

Focus you may work upto 15 hours to still be eligable for income support for 16+ hours you then may qualify for working tax credit.