ABSTRACT

Introduction You will need to be aware of the availability of welfare benefits for separated and/or divorced clients. Benefits may be needed either short-term on marriage breakdown or permanently following divorce: in some cases where the parties are of acutely limited means, welfare benefits will be needed in both situations. You will need to be able to recognise implications for welfare benefit entitlement of any ancillary relief orders obtained, and vice versa, since it is of course essential that if maintenance is to be received which disentitles the client to benefits, the order should deliver a significantly better financial result than if reliance is placed solely on welfare benefits. If this matter is not addressed clients risk falling into the ‘poverty trap’.