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Hi guys, I'll truly appreciate your help and any related information you can provide. My friend's husband was a great examle of finantial and mental domestic abuse. He also cheated on her which happened to emerge after she has given bith to their second baby. A few weeks after the delivery (which by the way didn't go without problems and she was in terrible condition afterwards) he left to live with the other woman leaving her jobless (he didn't allow her working nor have her own money) and with two small children. One aged 4 and one newborn. Now she's facing a situation where she has no money, was denied housing benefit as she doesn't work and was evicted a few days ago. Has no place to go with two small children and was denied any help whatsoever from the council as she didn't work 5 years in the UK (she is an immigrant from the UK- France). Is there anywhere she can turn to? She can't even leave the UK as the newborn doesn't have a passport. To get it she would need to get an approval from the exhusband which is just not going to happen. He does everything to make her life even more miserable. Calls her at nights, treatens her and tells what a looser she is. Please if you have any idea what she cand do I will be very grateful. Ah! One more question: Will anything change if she starts working?
I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Thanks a lot!
Hi katek, the CAB are a good starting point as your friend is going to need some official source to help her fight to get some help, she can also get housing advice from Shelter.
Your friend maybe eligible to claim Job Seekers, if she is then that will entitle her to housing benefit, i know this is not ideal as she has young children, but it maybe the only benefit that applies in her circumstances.
Does your friends husband work here and can she prove it? This will be one of the factors they will use to help her get help!
Your friend is going to need help and further advice so do contact the CAB.
Hi, and thank you a lot for your advice. I did forward all the information from you and my friend did manage to get some help. a the moment she is waitng for a council flat which is sooooo helpful for her and the two children. Thank you!
That's excellent news katek! Thank you for coming back online and letting us know 
You are a fantastic friend, she's lucky to have you.
Brilliant news !!
Your best options about rights are to check with the Citizens Advice Bureau, as they can help you further. They can do a benefit check and see for further rights. There is also the expert here on site (see left side of the page)
As for passports, has the baby dual nationality, because the baby was born here ? Has the other child a passport ? For a British passport one parent can apply for it without needing the consent of the other parent. You do need the passport photos to be signed by an official person like a Gp, or church person.
About the French passport, she might be able to be included in the mother's passport, but might need consent of the father for that. No idea.
Has your friend been able to obtain proof of Domestic Violence? Is the GP aware of it and the health visitor? Visit the CAB in your town as they can help you further with all this, hopefully it can all be sorted out soon, as for finances, he is responsible for her as long as they are still married, but it will be hard in the situation of DV
anything from now on that happens, like threats etc she has to keep a diary of it and go to the police with it if there is any proof at all. Try to keep a record of everything that happens, especially if in front of her children. REcord it on tape without the children noticing