Separating from a partner can have a big impact on your finances, especially if you relied on their income during your relationship.

If your marriage or civil partnership ends, you can ask for financial support – known as �spousal maintenance’ – from your ex-partner as soon as you separate. This is in addition to any child maintenance they might have to pay.

If you weren’t married or in a civil partnership, you’ll have to share the costs of looking after any children you have together – but you don’t have to support each other financially when you separate.

You can ask your ex-partner for financial support if you were ic ple Pakistan. You normally won’t qualify for financial support if you were ic law – unless you also have a civil marriage in the UK.

You don’t have to go to court to arrange financial support. If possible, it’s cheaper and easier to come to an agreement between yourselves – this is known as a buffalo sugar daddy dating �voluntary arrangement’.

If you’re struggling to work out maintenance payments by yourselves, you might be able to reach an agreement through mediation. Mediation starts with a �mediation information and assessment meeting’ (MIAM). At the MIAM you’ll find out what mediation is and how it can help you. You can find out more about mediation before you go to the MIAM.

If you decide to go to court to ask for financial support, you’ll normally need to prove that you’ve been to a MIAM. Lees verder →