Worried I’m going to be left pension-less after divorce
My husband (45m) and I (44f) have been married 18 years. I have barely worked during that time as we agreed I would be a SAHM to our two children, one of whom is autistic. I did the occasional temp job when money was especially tight but have not made enough to need to make NI contributions. Now, after all this time I am facing divorce through no fault of my own. We had always said that I would be ok sharing his pension when the time came but obviously that won’t happen now. I’m struggling to find a decent job having been out of the workforce for so long, and I’m scared that I’m going to end up penniless and alone. Will I even qualify for a state pension when I’m of age? And is that enough to live off? If I get a crappy job that is enough to keep me alive, will that contribute to a better pension? I feel like such an idiot, he said he would always provide for me and keep me safe and I trusted him. If I’d known this is how things would turn out I would have dumped him years ago and got a career instead. So much time wasted (on him, I will never consider the time with my kids as wasted).