when child support stops?

BeccaCJ

Hi all, previously posted this in the benefit forum but I think it might be more relevant here......


I hope you can shed some light for a sad and disillusioned person- my partner has always paid his child maintenance through the CSA, for the last 3/4yrs, previously directly. However his daughter will be 18 next month and is not continuing with higher education as she started A levels, has done 1yr but now decided to stop.


My understanding is that as she turns 18, he will be able to stop the payments as the education will change to Open university as this is what she is choosing, can anyone advise how the CSA check whether a child is still in education?


We had reported over 18months ago that she no longer lives with her mum and they did not look into this, as she has been living with her grandparents for this time, so payments have continued to her mum We are concerned we don't over pay as it already seems you don't get any money back, please can anyone help?

System

Over 18 I think you can stop whatever they're doing.

Andyjflet

Child maintenance payments will stop when you get to the start of the new term, IE payments will stop in the August of his or her 18th Birth year.

Unless they choose to stay in education, not Uni etc

CakeCrusader

As said on your other thread, the Open University doesn't just offer degrees, it also offers access courses that are the equivalent of A'Levels, so non-advanced courses. Your partner needs to speak to his daughter to ask about her course and whether it's full time or part time. It's down to her grandparents to apply for child maintenance from her mum and from your partner if she's living with them, child benefit and child tax credits can carry on until a child is 20 if a child is doing a full time non-advanced course, more often than not child maintenance has to continue until the child leaves or finishes non advanced education too as they are still 'dependent' upon their parents. http://www.separateddads.co.uk/separated-dads-guide-child-support.html "Child Support is paid until the relevant child is at least 16 years old. If the child continues to study full-time (at least 12 hours per week) after the age of 16, you will still have to pay to support your child. Full-time studies include A-level standard but do not include university / professional studies after this level. Child maintenance payments will end when the course finishes or when the child turns 20 years old, even if they are still in full-time studies."


Rather then worrying about overpaying he should probably be worried about the welfare of a child who's already dropped out of her A'Levels and is now living with grandparents instead of her own parents, this should be raising red flags! The poor kid seems to have gone through a really tough time and it's very sad that you appear to be more focused on saving the cash.

BeccaCJ

Hi
Many thanks for your replies, I am rather upset by the judgement you make of his daughter being lost about her education. Frankly we would rather she completed her A levels but as she is adamant the OU course is for her, we cannot force her to go. There is also a geographical issue as we live many miles from her, a little more sympathy from you would have been helpful. We are quite prepared to fund her directly but cannot afford to do this along side being forced to continue to make the child payments wrongly. I cannot understand that they seem to just take the mother's word for it she's still going??!
Also it can be increasing difficult to contact his daughter, please bear in mind we can only chase by phone calls and there's a limit as to when she can reply.
And yes I am worried about the knock on affects as any arrears they apply affect us both.
Thank you for your further advice - as you can tell it's keeping me awake at night

BeccaCJ

andydownes123 wrote: »

Over 18 I think you can stop whatever they're doing.

CakeCrusader wrote: »

As said on your other thread, the Open University doesn't just offer degrees, it also offers access courses that are the equivalent of A'Levels, so non-advanced courses. Your partner needs to speak to his daughter to ask about her course and whether it's full time or part time. It's down to her grandparents to apply for child maintenance from her mum and from your partner if she's living with them, child benefit and child tax credits can carry on until a child is 20 if a child is doing a full time non-advanced course, more often than not child maintenance has to continue until the child leaves or finishes non advanced education too as they are still 'dependent' upon their parents. ] "Child Support is paid until the relevant child is at least 16 years old. If the child continues to study full-time (at least 12 hours per week) after the age of 16, you will still have to pay to support your child. Full-time studies include A-level standard but do not include university / professional studies after this level. Child maintenance payments will end when the course finishes or when the child turns 20 years old, even if they are still in full-time studies."


Rather then worrying about overpaying he should probably be worried about the welfare of a child who's already dropped out of her A'Levels and is now living with grandparents instead of her own parents, this should be raising red flags! The poor kid seems to have gone through a really tough time and it's very sad that you appear to be more focused on saving the cash.

Thank you, the contact has been better since she's been at the grandparents - his relationship with them has always been good and we would rather she stayed in education to has n the a levels but if he interested to know how you suggest that is inforced? Please bear in mind we live 250+ miles away and this has been the case since daughter was small. Also might be worth noting her mother does also want her to stay in education because 'I've got a wedding to pay God's :mad: and the reason she moved out of her mother's to begin with is she is Now one of 6 children and there wasn't enough room! I feel this sheds a little more light on the situatiin, before you cast your views so openly! In response to the course it has already been discussed and she will be studying for a degree in law and criminology, over 3 years.
Many thanks for the link, I will also ask there, back to being alone in this situation

CakeCrusader

People can only go on what you've written here, no one's psychic. You wanted to know whether your partner still had to pay child support for a child who appears vulnerable, take a step back and read your first post again!