Abandoned

A question about : Abandoned

How does DWP class 'abandoned'?

my wife left me and the kids about 7 months ago and does not want to come back. she simply walked out and phoned to say she is not coming back. to her there is more to life than looking after kids. she rings via her mobile phone and as per court order sees the kids once in a while.

does dwp class this as abandoned

Best answers:

• I think it would also depend on whether or not she was making any financial contribution to your families maintainance. If she was simply living away from home while still making financial provision and regularly visiting then I doubt you would fit the abandoned criteria.
  Are you trying to get your current housing costs included in your Income Support payments as you are a person with children who has claimed Income Support because their partner has died or abandoned them.?
  further discussion of this in this Gingerbread factsheet
• before she left i was the breadwinner. i paid all the household bills and mortgage. bought the house before i met her. when she left i heard that maybe she was at a refuge. she calls now and then to talk to the kids. she does not or have in the past make any contributions to the bills
• Well it sounds very much as if you've been abandoned to me and I expect it feels like it to you and the children. If the DWP aren't accepting this as a fact then you need to ask why and if they cannot or will not produce a reason for their decision then either get your local welfare rights organisation to argue your case for you orget onto your MP.
  Without her there to help you with the childcare your costs will be higher therefore the preferential treatment which may be available to lone parents should also be application to you.
• thanks for the feedback. it is just i am unsure of how DWP thinks. will let you know what happens.
• Sorry to hear your news.
  I wouldn't worry about the DWP - being abandoned isn't a criteria as such, especially as the house and mortgage are in your name. I have yet to know of a lone parent entitled to income support who didn't get their housing costs paid (subject to usual qualifying criteria) becuase they weren't classified as abandoned. I have worked with a lot of lone parents over the years, some with mortgages, some living the house owned by their ex - in their ex's name and the mortgage interest was still paid.
  There are many male lone parents out there - you are not alone (although you are in the minority).
  The issue for DWP and accessing benefits as a lone parent is centred on whether the child benefit is paid in your name or your wife's. !If you don't have it in your name you will not be able to make a claim to Income Support as a lone parent but you will be able to claim JSA (conts and income based) but you must satisify the actively seeking work criteria. !This can be reduced to looking for 16 hours pw if you having caring responsibilities ubt you cannot claim JSA if you do not wish to look for work.
  You can claim tax credits for the children without having child benefit in your name but you cannot do it on line and you will need to enclose a explanatory note.
  If you want any more information on any of the benefits or services the DWP can offer, I would give your local office a call. !Some may say it take ages to get through but all offices now are subject to random 'mystery shopper' calls and have targets of answering your call within a minute so you 'should' be ok.
  Good luck ofr the future
• thanks, have gone thro the process of joining jsa and when the child benefit was transferred to my name then going onto income support.
  Due to the cost of court case which gave me custody of the kids and outstanding credit card bills i have been left in deep sh*te financially and think i will have problems if i have to wait 40 weeks for assistance with mortgage payment.
  Since i have truly been abandoned by the wife i want to see if i can get assistance with the mortgage early. I just want to be careful with what i say because i have been told horror stories that if they make a decision against you then it is set in concrete and is hard to change.
  i am totally confused about all this. Am just getting used to being a lone parent. Have no problems looking after the children but just feel sorry for them especially when they grow up and ask where mummy is and why does she not come and see them? Life's a b*tch :-( To be honest i would be prepared for the missus to come back and i will leave. At least the kids won't be lacking anything and they would find it is acceptable in the community if the father works away from home for a while.
  wife's mates keep in touch with me. they still find it unacceptable/unbelivable for the mother to leave the young ones and don't visit them often.
  there are people out there that are willing to help you to claim this and that but i am very disappointed there is nothing for a male lone parent. Won't be suprised if they fall in the same group with males who have been raped. (nice to feel the humour side of me is still alive :-) )
  sorry for ranting on. thanks for the assistance given. have a good weekend
  (apologise if i have offended anyone)
• You should also be able to get the child benefit changed into your name, as the primary carer, and paid to you.