Son in fulltime education

dot111

I'm getting confused....So that is his last day at school. I will get no payments, even though he will be here, before starting uni.

vyvyan_2

I'm watching this thread with interest as I'm in much the same position. My son is 18 and just about to do his A levels. He has a university place waiting for him based on his predicted grades.

As far as I know at the end of August the child benefit will stop AND the CSA payments AND the child tax credits. That is a huge drop in my income and to be honest I'm really worried as my outgoings will remain the same. Except for the food bill as he eats like a horse!:eek: I work full time (on a few days leave at the moment:j ) and I presume the working tax credits will remain the same. He is my youngest so all the child related stuff will cease.

Can anyone confrim this? There must be quite a few of us with 18 year ols wondering.

Oldernotwiser

You might be surprised how much your other outgoings drop when he's left. If he's typical of that age he'll have been using the phone a good deal, showering frequently, doing enormous amounts of washing and expecting you to sub him. Many of our household expenses more than halved when our teenage foster son left home!

vyvyan_2

Thanks oldernotwiser - I hadn't considered the laundry service or electricity costs:rolleyes: ! He has a weekend job so he pays for his own mobile phone and rarely uses the house phone and he budgets most of his own spending out of his wages. Hopefully he's picked up plenty of tips on living on a tight budget during a childhood of money being tight. Might have done him a favour actually!

kelloggs36

Child benefit will continue to be paid to the parents until the first Monday in september if they are going to go to uni - so it should be paid until then. If the child reaches the age of 19 before then, it ceases on their 19th birthday. THe only other time it would change is if the child gets a job of over 24 hours per week.

After the child goes to university, they can (if they wish) try to apply to the Courts for maintenance to be paid by a parent.

dot111

Thank you all for advice, my ex has reluctantly agreed he must continue paying.