Mother hen

© Levis

Amy was devastated to discover her husband was cheating on her and she left him. Her son, Arthur, was 2 years old at the time. Amy is assistant in a pharmacy and employs a nanny to look after Arthur when she's at work.

Financial struggle
Amy sought benefits straightaway. In addition to Child Benefit, she also qualified for Income Support and housing benefit. "It was tough at first because I was earning just enough to pay the rent, bills and food but not much else."

Amy hasn't received any maintenance for Arthur because her husband refuses to give her anything: "I've been trying to get him to pay maintenance for years but he won't give me a penny. Although he's the one who cheated on me, I think he sees it as some sort of revenge for me ending the marriage. The CSA are still looking into it."

For information on Child Benefit visit the Department for Work and Pensions website and the HM Revenue and Customes website.
For information on Child Maintenance visit the Child Support Agency website.

An absent father
Arthur's 7 now, and he hardly ever sees his father. "Every school holiday, he spends a week at his gran's - his dad's mum - and sometimes his dad visits, but he doesn't ever want to look after him. He always says he's too busy, with his new girlfriend I imagine." On top of that, Arthur and Amy don't talk about Arthur's dad. The only thing that creates a bond between the two of them are the photos of him in his rally car. "Arthur never mentions his dad and he never complains, maybe because he doesn't want to hurt me."

Read the rest of Amy's story

• Just the two of us
• Dealing with an absent father
• Organised mum
• Divorced parents
• Part-time mum
• Dividing time with child
• Determined to have a baby
• Experiencing pregnancy and childbirth alone
• Independent mum
• Independent attitude