Child support/arrears when child reaches 18 15 February at 11:39AM in Child Support 5 replies 442 views

chubsta

This is on behalf of my sister so figures are a bit vague but I guess it is the principle that matters not the amounts.

Father of child did not pay anything for a few years so has arrears of about £6000, currently pays about £200 per month which I believe is made up mainly of current CS payment and a proportion made up by the arrears.
Child reaches 18 in June so am guessing CS proportion will end but what happens about the arrears - will that be paid at the current rate (lets say £50 per month) or will the total payment stay the same and just reduce the arrears quicker as he can clearly afford it, or will there be some negotiation (on his behalf presumably as everything always seem to be about his ability to pay rather than the mothers ability to raise the child, but that's another story!)

Any advice appreciated as it is better to have an idea as to what may happen a few months before it actually does and getting a response from CS themselves seems impossible...

ZaSa1418

maintenance doesn't necessarily end at 18, sometimes it can be claimed until the child turns 20. 
I have no idea but i assume if he has an agreement to pay £50 a month for arrears that would still stand

Clearchem

Arrears remain payable even after ongoing obligation ends. Ongoing liability ends when child benefit ends, often the Sept after the child's 18th birthday at the formal end of schooling

poppy12345

Clearchem said:

Arrears remain payable even after ongoing obligation ends. Ongoing liability ends when child benefit ends, often the Sept after the child's 18th birthday at the formal end of schooling

Some young people continue in full time non advanced eduction until they reach their 20th birthday. This will mean that child benefit and tax credits can continue until the day before their 20th birthday.

For those claiming Universal Credit. The child element will end in the September following their 19th birthday.

RAS

Yup, and it's not unknown for a child to study a 3rd year at "6th" form/college, which means CS is payable until they complete the course, unless their 20th birthday comes first. Because they are still eligible for child benefit.

chubsta

thanks for the replies, the info I am really after though is whether the arrears will continue to be paid at the current rate - in other words, he currently pays £200 a month of which about £150 is the current liability and £50 is arrears, once the current liability ends will he be able to say he just wants to pay the arrears at £50 a month or will they say he can clearly afford £200 so he will have to continue paying that until the arrears are paid off?