help please

[solice]

i have lived with my partner for 18 years and have 4 children aged 18,16,14 and a 10 month old baby. we live in a housing association house and the tenancy is in both our names, my partner is an alcoholic and after years of bullying and stress i just want out of this relationship, he has only ever been slightly phsical to me , nothing major so i could never prove it as he would deny it so could not get an injuction order against him. I have asked him so many times to leave but he refuses, i have no money to go and rent privatly and the council wont help me because they say i am housed therefore dont meet any immediate needs to be rehoused.
Does anyone know how i can go about leaving this relationship or been able to kick him out even though hes on tenancy.
the only option i have been advised on is that i can go to a refuge but i cant do this because it just wouldnt be fair on my children, 2 of them are doing exams and need the internet and also i was told that you cant go into a refuge in your home town so that would involve changing their schools which would just be to unsettling for them.
Does anyone know is there any sort of order i can get, someone metioned to me a separation order but i dont know what that is or if i could then ask him to leave.
I really am so depressed all the time and just dont want to be here but have to be because of my kids.

[dave123]

Hi Solice,

I'm afraid i don't know much about housing etc, i'm really sorry to her about your terrible situation.
There's 2 things that sprung to mind though. One would be to go to the citizens advice bureau in your local area and ask them for help with regards to the housing, legal aspects etc.
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

The other would be to try to go to a few Al-Anon meetings where people share experience of living with alcoholic friends/family. I go to one each week and it has helped me tremendously dealing with my relationship with the alcoholics in my life.
http://www.al-anonuk.org.uk/about

Well done for taking charge of the situation and asking for help. I really hope you can find your way through this, and emerge in a better situation.

Take care of yourself,

Dave

[JWD]

Hi, I thinks Dave's right, the citizens advice will be able to advise you on your next step and maybe help with solicitors.

Let us know how you get on.