At what age do CSA payments stop?

Evangeline1971

A man from the CSA contacted me yesterday and told me that I must keep paying for my son until his 20th birthday. He said its new government legislation. I've looked online and cannot find anything to support what he's saying. Everything I've read says maintenance stops when the child turns 19. Please can anyone confirm at what birthday it stops?

Also please can anyone provide me with the best contact details to put in a complaint about this man. I spoke to a woman from the CSA at the beginning of the month and explained that money was tight but I would make a payment when I get paid at the end of this month. She was happy with this and said she will call me back on the 28th after I've been paid. However this man yesterday would not negotiate and said that if I don't pay my arrears in full this month that they would make arrangements to deduct 40% of my wages.

As you can imagine this has caused me a lot of stress and I haven't slept properly. I want to complain about this man not waiting until the 28th, making unreasonable demands and misinforming me about the age I can stop paying (if he is wrong). Please can anyone advise? Thanks

kevin137

It can now be upto 20, but is dependent on Education Circumstances and if CB is still paid, although this is not a legal qualification for CSA...

Evangeline1971

kevin137 wrote: »

It can now be upto 20, but is dependent on Education Circumstances and if CB is still paid, although this is not a legal qualification for CSA...

Thanks, would you be able to provide a link showing that it can be upto 20? 20 is an adult so it seems ridiculous to me. I'm really worried about this as this will extend the payments my partner must make also and we have made plans for when we thought these payments would stop and we'd have more money

kevin137

Not so sure there is a link on there website yet, the legislation changed on the 12th of this month, but it really does depend on the "child" being on a qualifying course at school or college, and CB being paid.

If this is something that is way off in the future, don't stress about it, if it is something that affects you now, then it suck but nothing you can really do about it anyway.

How old is your child/ren and are they still in education...???

As for complaining, you can do this in writing, and the more info you have the better, his name would be a good start, but be aware they record ALL calls, so once you complain, they can and will listen to the call. It may be that you have a complaint, but you need to give as much detail as possible, including the name of who you spoke to before, date of call etc, so they can check this. But at the same time, you need to remember, that they can impose a DEO in a matter of weeks, meaning they will already of actioned this before the complaint gets anywhere.

The best thing you can do, is call and ask to speak to a supervisor, and if not available request a call back, if you don't get a call back in the time they give you, do the same again, and do this 3 times... If you never get a call back do it in writing, keep records of times dates who you spoke to etc, then make a formal complaint in writing to the CSA and copy it into your MP and ask for him to do something on your behalf...

Evangeline1971

The 12th of this month the legislation changed? Unbelievable :eek: I think people are going to be up in arms about this as parents shouldn't be forced to be responsible for their children after they become adults and this is age 18.

I think my son is still in education but the problem is that I don't see my son anymore, I haven't seen him for 2 years I was a single parent for 10 years and when I met my current partner my son refused to tow the line. Instead of being a parent my sons father chose to side with my son against me and my current partner. He's practically an alcoholic so leaves my son to his own devices and now my son is doing things like drinking and smoking weed because this is what his father does

Cally_Smart

Read Kevin137 's previous posts,he has had a lot of experience with the CSA & has given us some useful advice for dealing with them( as we are having to do now ,but for different reasons !)
Many people on here who have been paying without fail every month are having the maintenance payment period lengthened in line with these new regulations from 10/12/12.Some are finding the date their mesher order (which postponed sale of house until youngest has left education )has been changed to a year later.A lot of people ,many who have remarried( reading on other websites as well) are finding their plans have to be shelved for another year delaying them money they have been waiting years for & causing them financial difficulties.Courts had set dates & CSA have changed the criteria for CM.

shoe*diva79

Evangeline1971 wrote: »

A man from the CSA contacted me yesterday and told me that I must keep paying for my son until his 20th birthday. He said its new government legislation. I've looked online and cannot find anything to support what he's saying. Everything I've read says maintenance stops when the child turns 19. Please can anyone confirm at what birthday it stops?

Also please can anyone provide me with the best contact details to put in a complaint about this man. I spoke to a woman from the CSA at the beginning of the month and explained that money was tight but I would make a payment when I get paid at the end of this month. She was happy with this and said she will call me back on the 28th after I've been paid. However this man yesterday would not negotiate and said that if I don't pay my arrears in full this month that they would make arrangements to deduct 40% of my wages.

As you can imagine this has caused me a lot of stress and I haven't slept properly. I want to complain about this man not waiting until the 28th, making unreasonable demands and misinforming me about the age I can stop paying (if he is wrong). Please can anyone advise? Thanks

How old is your son?

How much are your arrears and how did the arrears come about?

kevin137

Any contact you can have with him for finding out about his well being needs to be exactly that. I know it is hard to think that you are supporting an adult, but that is how it is set out by the government and it sucks just so they can make the unemployment figure look better, that and reduce the welfare bill.

If you can see what he is up to on something like facebook, that may give you an idea if he is still studying, but query it with the CSA anyway, if it turns out he isn't then you have a date you queried it and can get money back until... But try to do as much in writing as possible...

Evangeline1971

Thanks everyone, my son will be 18 next week which is another reason all this is getting to me as now I cannot afford to give him anything substantial. The arrears are just under £300 and came about because of a number of unexpected expenses including having money fraudulently taken from my account (still waiting for bank to refund this). I don't begrudge giving the money to my son and would make more effort to if he wasn't with his father. I've just had to buy clothes for my other son who is 20 and neglected by his father. Its all this added together which means I've missed a couple of payments

Crellow4

Prior to the change in legislation, maintenance was always potentially payable until the child's 19th birthday - so would not have stopped next week in any event.

kevin137

Evangeline1971 wrote: »

my son will be 18 next week which is another reason all this is getting to me as now I cannot afford to give him anything substantial.

And if he has any sense, he will appreciate that you have no money, but it sounds like he is being manipulated and led astray by a father that does not put his best interest 1st. Just be thankful that it is only 2 years left and not 12 years...

Try not to stress, it is just not worth it... The end is in sight now... And once done, then you make the choices yourself, and watch how quick the "meal ticket" is pushed out of the home...