What happens to child maintenance when claiming JSA?

Jo_R_2

OH is possibly being made redundant next week and I was wondering what would happen with the child maintenance I receive if we have to claim job seeking benefits.

My ex pays an amount per month through a private arrangement. I live with OH and my two DDs from this previous relationship, OH works full-time and I'm not employed at the moment. I'm also pregnant and due to give birth in three weeks.

I have been advised that if the worst should happen, OH would make a claim for JSA which would include me (although I'm not sure if this is right or how this works, particularly as I'm not actually a 'job seeker' myself at this point in time!) but I have no idea what would happen to the maintenance as I assume this would be taken into account somehow?

Damzel_In_Distress

Yes it would be taken into account,it all depends on how much maintenance you are getting?? but it is deducted from any benefits you make a claim for.

Also if your OH made a claim this would be a joint claim with you included,yes.

jennie09

Jo_R wrote: »

OH is possibly being made redundant next week and I was wondering what would happen with the child maintenance I receive if we have to claim job seeking benefits.

My ex pays an amount per month through a private arrangement. I live with OH and my two DDs from this previous relationship, OH works full-time and I'm not employed at the moment. I'm also pregnant and due to give birth in three weeks.

I have been advised that if the worst should happen, OH would make a claim for JSA which would include me (although I'm not sure if this is right or how this works, particularly as I'm not actually a 'job seeker' myself at this point in time!) but I have no idea what would happen to the maintenance as I assume this would be taken into account somehow?

There are new rules in place from october 2008, with regards to maintenance, you are a allowed to keep upto £20 pw if you make a claim for income support or income based jsa, and also maintenance is disregarded if making a claim for housing benefit.

Damzel_In_Distress

jennie09 wrote: »

There are new rules in place from october 2008, with regards to maintenance, you are a allowed to keep upto £20 pw if you make a claim for income support or income based jsa, and also maintenance is disregarded if making a claim for housing benefit.

Yes that right .
But i was presuming that with 2 daughters she would be getting more than £20 a week maintenance (if not then she should be!) and there for the reduction would more than likely apply here.

jennie09

Damzel_In_Distress wrote: »

Yes that right .
But i was presuming that with 2 daughters she would be getting more than £20 a week maintenance (if not then she should be!) and there for the reduction would more than likely apply here.

I think that the £20 pw is the maximum you are allowed to keep on top of your income support or jsa, regardless of how much the actual maintenance being paid is.

Damzel_In_Distress

jennie09 wrote: »

I think that the £20 pw is the maximum you are allowed to keep on top of your income support or jsa, regardless of how much the actual maintenance being paid is.

Yes it is,thats what i meant..so anything else she got in maintenance would be taken into account and deducted from any benefits.;)

Jo_R_2

What happens with the fact that the maintenance is paid through a private arrangement? It used to be through CSA until they decided my oldest DD didn't actually live with me last year and then they completely lost any case notes - but that's a different story altogether...! Since my OH moved in last September and I came off IS anyways, me and the ex arranged a private agreement which has been in place for a few months now. So we "left" the CSA arrangement before the new rules came into place which is why I'm not too familiar with them.

So technically if I've understood, the private arrangement can continue but the difference between the £20 and what I actually receive will be deducted from the JSA? I do understand the principle behind it - however thinking about it I can totally see that it could appear that the ex is paying to support my OH and me as well as the girls!

jennie09

Jo_R wrote: »

What happens with the fact that the maintenance is paid through a private arrangement? It used to be through CSA until they decided my oldest DD didn't actually live with me last year and then they completely lost any case notes - but that's a different story altogether...! Since my OH moved in last September and I came off IS anyways, me and the ex arranged a private agreement which has been in place for a few months now. So we "left" the CSA arrangement before the new rules came into place which is why I'm not too familiar with them.

So technically if I've understood, the private arrangement can continue but the difference between the £20 and what I actually receive will be deducted from the JSA? I do understand the principle behind it - however thinking about it I can totally see that it could appear that the ex is paying to support my OH and me as well as the girls!

I think that is about right, even for a private arrangement, the dwp will probably nned to see some sort of documentation, proof etc, as to how you recieve the money, bank statements or whatever, then whatever you receive will be deducted from your JSA, and you will still recieve the extra £20 pw on top of any benefit that you recieve, or i suppose on the other hand if your private arrangement is worth more than the total amount of jsa, you could just continue to recieve that and not claim any benefit, thats what i did a few years back, as at the time the amount the ex was paying in maintenance was actually worth more than income support at the time so i was better off with just my csa payments.