Separated Dads' letter to the government has so far (4 weeks in) only received an acknowledgement from no.10, but an MP has raised a new early day motion which is partly relevant here. The early day motion (34) was raised in parliament by Adrian Sanders, Liberal Democrat MP on 25th May 2010. Here are the details:
Understanding how shared custody arrangements affect child benefit and maintenance payments is complex, so it may help to use our free Overnight Stays Calculator.
Benefits System and Shared Parenting
"That this House notes that child benefit can only be paid to one parent; further notes that this unnecessarily discriminates against the other parent where parents are separated and maintain shared custody of children; further notes that this can further discriminate against one parent by preventing access to suitable housing and additional income to allow them to provide for children; further notes that this can lead to restricted access for one parent to see their children; and calls on the Government to take action to address these problems."This motion has only 18 signatures at the moment:
- Liberal Democrats: Lorely Burt , Mike Crockart, Andrew George, Mike Hancock, John Hemming, Simon Hughes, John Leech, Bob Russell, Adrian Sanders, Mark Williams
- Democratic Unionist Party: Ian Paisley Jnr, Jim Shannon
- Green Party: Caroline Lucas
- Labour Party: Martin Caton, Fabian Hamilton, David Heyes, Grahame M Morris
- Plaid Cymru: Hywel Williams
So if you want to write to your MP about this issue, now is the time...

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What is an Early Day Motion?
Early day motions (EDMs) are formal motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons. Very few EDMs are actually debated in parliament however, but are used for reasons such as publicising the views of individual MPs, creating awareness of campaigns and demonstrating the extent of parliamentary support for a cause.
MPs can add their signatures to an EDM to show support. They can also submit amendments to an existing EDM. Although majority of EDMs are never debated, the group of EDMs known as 'prayers' may be debated. Prayers are motions to overturn Statutory Instruments (laws made by Ministers under powers deriving from Acts of Parliament).
My daughter has a media condition and my ex partner is using this to shield my daughter and has the backing of her consultant.
She has breached the order twice using her medical condition always around the time of our weeks holiday.
This time she's using covid as the excuse for me not having her.
I've stated all the government guidelines and also reassured her all the steps to protect my daughter but now she's blocking Weekend contact unless me and my partner provide pictures of a negative covid test.
If I take her to court for a breach would the Judge (who has requested any cases be allocated to her) be on my side or am I being silly not providing them.
It started from £80 per month. I was then threatened to her that I had to give her £130 per month approximately 3 years after and have been paying this! It was back in July 2018, that again upon being threatened by her telling me to give her £240 per month or she’ll be ‘going to the CSA’
Unbeknownst to me doesn’t exist anymore, it’s the CMS.
I called the CMS in November whereby they were shocked with what she was demanding, despite her knowing I have been on my ESA benefit (mental issue) 2years after splitting up!
I get £267 from the benefits which leaves me with £27 left! I have a mortgage of £220 per month along with all other mandatory bills. If it wasn’t for my very kind hearted mother (who even fronted my ex with the deposit and insurance for my ex for her 1st car when we were together) she is keeping me alfloat and stopping the bayliffs knocking my door!
My ultimate question...is there any way whereby I can be reimbursed for the serious overpayments I have been paying for years and years! The legal minimum due to my benefits situation says £7 per month per child but I am happy to pay £80 as they are my kids too obviously!
She will not talk about it and am sure the kids don’t see any of it...instead it is keeping her and her new husbands mortgage and other major debts they have got theirselves into.
Sorry if this is an essay but as you can imagine....I’m absolutely irate about this.
1000’s of pounds been, in effect, stolen from me for HER benefit...not my/our kids ??
I’m new to this forum, so here I go.
I am a working parent trying to save for a mortgage but that’s a long way off and need some advice
I separated from my x 8 years ago and my sons was 3 and 6 at the time.i would pick them up on Fridays and drop them off on sundays. Over the years they have been staying more and more like the whole summer holidays,weekends,weekdays, basically when ever they want. So me and the x agreed that I could have them 50/50 so they can stay as much as they want. Now my sons are with me more than with her and I only have a one bed room apartment. Which has their bunk bed in it they stay with me a hell of a lot and I asked the council if I can join the register and explained that they stay with me 3-4 days a week now and they have no room. I was told they ain’t entitled to a room because I don’t get child benefits which prove they live with me!!! which I don’t want anyway. I don’t want benifits I want a extra room for my sons that I will pay for.
Can anyone help me out on here please.
The x gets child benefits which I don’t want but my sons do live with me 3-4 days a week if not more.
Since the kids have requested to live with me and they cry every time I take back to ex shouting at the mum saying they don’t want to live with.
Filed for custody of kids. What is best way to help them live as I think cafcass will side with her.
She been horrible made threats and breaking the court order constantly.
What can I do to help get kids and make them happier
We are happy for her to continue with child Benefit & WTC. are we then entitled to any of this to put towards his upkeep in our home??
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