I want to pay maintenance but getting no job seekers

gwin

I have been out of work for 6 months and my income based job seekers has now ended.
My wife has just lost her job so we applied jointly. She gets child maintenance for her daughter through CSA as her ex wouldn't pay. She gets family allowance and working tax credits.
I have a daughter that I have paid maintenance voluntarily for the last 10 years.
However, I have been informed my entitlement is now 0.
My wife queried this with the benefits office and they suggested I don't pay my maintenance! The thing is I WANT to pay for my daughter.
In other words I would have to pay my ex from the money from my wife's ex.
Btw, this is the 1st time I have signed-on for 30 years!

Loopy_Girl

If you have no income then you won't be able to pay any maintenance - you can't get blood out of a stone!!

I understand - and commend - your wish to keep paying maintenance for your daughter. Are you on speaking terms with your ex? Am sure if you explain that your benefit has stopped and you have no income then she will accept it - in fact to put it bluntly, she will have no choice.

As far as CSA guidelines are concerned no income=no maintenance due.

To ease your conscience, you could always explain that you will pay a little more than normal for a short while when you are back in employment to make up for this 'gap'.

Is this a private or CSA arrangement?

shell_542

If you can afford to and want to pay something, why not offer to pay an amount directly to your ex? Then when your circumstances change, you can change it again.

But you will not have to pay anything.

Caz3121

gwin wrote: »

My wife has just lost her job so we applied jointly. She gets child maintenance for her daughter through CSA as her ex wouldn't pay. She gets family allowance and working tax credits.

A bit off topic but your wife should let the tax credits people know she is not working as she may end up with an overpayment on the working tax credits (Child tax credits will continue and may even be increased but working tax credits will stop)

gwin

Loopy and shell, good points, I may have to go down the 'pay what I can for now' route. It is a private arrangement actually and luckily - after a shaky few years - we seem to get on ok now. Sorry Caz, my mistake, it's child tax credits she gets as you say.