CSA payments for 16 year old

Miss_Piggy_2

Hi all

Was wondering if you can help.

OH is waiting for a call back from the CSA as he has queried whether he should be paying for his 16 year old daughter.

She left school in June, failed to find a placement for her apprenticeship so lost her college place. Sghe is currently not working (with no job in imminent sight). She is now saying she is enrolling in a beauty course at college NEXT september but shows no sign of finding work in the meantime.

The CSA have initially said he may have to keep paying but that they WILL investigate and let him know the outcome.

Now, OH is not trying to skip his obligations (he has paid every month without fail for 14 years) but it does seem unfair he has to pay if she isn't working and isn't going to college this year. What would your take be on this? Does anyone know what the CSA may say?

Thank you!

Kimitatsu

The CSA will go on whether child maintenance is still being claimed for the child, if it is then they will rule that maintenance needs to be paid.

This though from HMRC may help:

A CSA assessment does not normally show a cessation date as it should be reviewed at regular intervals by the CSA, usually every two years. Payments will normally end when a child reaches age 16, unless they must continue

• to age 19 to allow the child to complete full time education (but not advanced education for a degree or similar qualification) or
• to age 18 if the child is registered for work or youth training but has not yet started youth training or found work which will last for more than 12 weeks after he/she reaches age 16.

If the child receives Income Support in his own right he ceases to be a 'child' for the purposes of the CSA.

Also be aware that if she goes to college next September and the course is more than 12 hours a week then child benefit will be able to be claimed and so maintenance will start again (although if he has been paying for the last 14 years I assume it will be on CS1 and so the new case should be on CS2 at a flat rate of 15% of his net salary)

74jax

Miss_Piggy wrote: »

Hi all

Was wondering if you can help.

OH is waiting for a call back from the CSA as he has queried whether he should be paying for his 16 year old daughter.

She left school in June, failed to find a placement for her apprenticeship so lost her college place. Sghe is currently not working (with no job in imminent sight). She is now saying she is enrolling in a beauty course at college NEXT september but shows no sign of finding work in the meantime.

The CSA have initially said he may have to keep paying but that they WILL investigate and let him know the outcome.

Now, OH is not trying to skip his obligations (he has paid every month without fail for 14 years) but it does seem unfair he has to pay if she isn't working and isn't going to college this year. What would your take be on this? Does anyone know what the CSA may say?

Thank you!

I know I'm one of the rare people who have an amicable relationship (to an extent) with my exH, so if it's not the case with your DH and his ex you may not be able to do this.

However, have you considered your DH making a private arrangement with his ex for the costs of upkeep? I know his daughter isn't working etc but that will mean her mum (his ex) still has costs - house, food etc.

Just because she has reached 16 doesn't mean he then can stop paying. Maybe if he paid his daughter something direct and she then paid board?

Just an idea, and please don't shoot me down, just looking at other options than CSA.

Miss_Piggy_2

Thank you both for your replies

CSA have come back very quickly. They have spoken to his EX and she says his daughter is contracted to a recruitment firm for 13 weeks but they have yet to find her any work. So OH has to continue paying until such time as the 13 weeks is up OR when his daughter gets some work.

Apparently his EX rang the CSA a couple of months ago (they told my OH this on the phone today) asking under what circumstances maintenance payments would stop. So I do feel we are being played for fools somewhat.

Hey ho...see what the next 13 weeks brings....

Thanks again for your replies

shell_542

Why is he still having to pay through the CSA though? CSA ceases once the child has left full time education. It doesn't say anything about continuing while a child is looking for work.

Miss_Piggy_2

shell_542 - he'd rather it still go through the CSA (not sure on when the situation legally ends with them) as his Ex violated a private agreement they had when they initially split up.

shell_542

But the CSA case shouldn't still be open if she has left full time non advanced education past the age of 16. Unless it is some government run thing that she is signed up to which still means child benefit is in payment. But by the sounds of it she's just job searching at the moment and so isn't a "qualifying child" for CSA purposes. I would be asking them why he still has to pay them when the child is no longer in education.

If he paid directly as the CSA should be closed as of Sep, there's nothing for the PWC to violate. Only of she starts education again next Sep would he start paying through the CSA again.

Look in the glossary on the CSA website for what they deem a child. It is NOT a 16 year old, whose left school, living at home and unemployed.

Miss_Piggy_2

shell_542 wrote: »

But the CSA case shouldn't still be open if she has left full time non advanced education past the age of 16. Unless it is some government run thing that she is signed up to which still means child benefit is in payment. But by the sounds of it she's just job searching at the moment and so isn't a "qualifying child" for CSA purposes. I would be asking them why he still has to pay them when the child is no longer in education.

If he paid directly as the CSA should be closed as of Sep, there's nothing for the PWC to violate. Only of she starts education again next Sep would he start paying through the CSA again.

Look in the glossary on the CSA website for what they deem a child. It is NOT a 16 year old, whose left school, living at home and unemployed.

Shell, I checked the CSA website and it basicially says they are still considered a child if registered with a "connexions" service or other similar government run scheme. Surprise surprise....stepdaughter is registered with connexions.

So we have to wait for the 13weeks to be up and go from there.

shell_542

Ah, the government run thing I referred to. Hopefully they'll help her find employment then.