Child Maintenance Past Age 16 query??

ceebeeby

Hi,

I wonder if you can advise.

We have a great relationship with my husbands ex and children, and have very willingly paid voluntary (i.e. without a CSA agreement) maintenance on time for the past 15 years, plus extras whenever this has been needed (or wanted).

My step-son is 16 and in September will be starting an NVQ course at college. He will be in college 2/3 days a week, and working the other 2/3 days on college placement. He will be earning approximately £100 per week whilst on college placement.

We've just checked out the Child Benefit section (as I think a previous poster thought that Child Benefit when hand-in-hand with maintenance??) and his mum would still be entitled to claim Child Benefit for him, so should we still be paying maintenance for him?

doelani

If you were going through CSA payment would still be made as long as child benefit is being paid.

shell_542

Child support is continued to be paid after a child is 16, if the child is taking a non-advanced education course and is studying for more than 12 hours a week. NVQ levels 1,2 and 3 are included in non-advanced education.

ceebeeby

Thanks, that's really helpful ... we'll happily continue then!

Dancing_Shoes

Just to add that maybe when they are no longer "eligible" for child maintenance you could make a payment to the children direct every month to help towards their further education/first car etc. Obviously this is again voluntary but equally as important as child maintenance itself.;)

debt12

My stepson is in a similar situation and starting a work based apprenticeship where he goes to college for 2 days and works for 3 days, our maintenance payments will be stopping because child benefit do not pay out for type of course and it is an NVQ.