Need Advice / Pointers

mwt101

Hi. New to this forum.

I've been paying child support for may years to the "parent with care" (under the old 1993 system) and my daughter, now 18, will be starting a 2 year diploma course. Obviously, this is still only further education and therefore payments continue.

The course starts in October which is incidentally when payments under the CSA as we know it cease - alternative arrangements to be made between the parents - or with CMS / Court intervention.

However, although my daughter currently lives in another part of the country, when she starts the course, she'll be living with her maternal grandparents (local to me - only reason she won't be coming to live with myself/my family is lack of her own bedroom.....she doesn't want to share with her younger sister....can't think why).

Will I still responsible for 100% of the child support or can I legitimately say it should at least be shared. Not sure what will be happening to child benefit for my daughter, whether it will (or should legally) transfer to the grandparents.

What is the answer to the situation?? What are my ongoing obligations and what will be the obligations of the existing parent with care?

Any assistance appreciated.

nannytone_2

the amount you have been judged to pay wont be halved, but the grandparents can ask the other parent for support as well.

so it wont be the same payment split between the both of you.

independently of each other, your incomes will be assessed and an amount awarded to the grandparent

mwt101

Thanks for you quick reply.

Is the new way of calculating maintenance nothing more than a percentage of earnings? I know on the old 1993 system (which was grossly unfair), there were factors such are care provided to the child which diminished as the child got older and, I think, ceased at age 16.

My last assessment was many years ago and I'm bothered that if we were to go down that route of having it assessed, I could end up paying even more, despite the "child" now being an adult, with part time employment and not living at home. Do you know if these factors get taken into account at all?

My preference would be to pay my daughter direct, but say that is for "board and lodgings". Helps her to become more financially aware and of adult responsibilities. I somehow doubt that idea will ultimately have legs though.

I acknowledge my ongoing responsibilities, but I do also want to pay a reasonable and fair amount and in a way that everyone is happy with.

13Kent

I thought the liability ended the August after the child becomes 19 regardless of what educational course they might be on?

13Kent

If the child is no longer living with the PWC then the PWC would no longer be eligible to claim Child Benefit for the child. Rightly or wrongly in the past the CSA has always used whether Child Benefit is being paid as a marker for whether child maintenance is payable.

(This assumes that the PWC is honest and admits to the child benefit people that the child is no longer living in the household of course)

So unless the grandparents apply for child benefit, and then ask for a maintenance assessment - which as stated above both non resident parents would be assessed to pay their share - then I would assume there would be no official child maintenance assessment, in which case you would be free to support your daughter with whatever amount you felt to be fair.

This link might help you https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-child-maintenance