Hi everyone my first post and i hope you can help, me and my ex wife are divorced about 8 years i having been paying my maintenance (and more)in cash to her on a monthly basis ,the kids come and go to mine as they please and would stay over ,2 maybe 3 nights a week ,,look i will cut to the chase because i pay cash ,i have reason to believe that she is declaring that i dont pay anything and this helps her benefits how can i find out if this is the case,the children are 17 ,and 14 .
cheers
Hi there
Since 2010 the rules were changed and there is no reduction to benefits when child maintenance is paid.
Hello Loopyleeming
In the past if the receiving parent or their partner was receiving Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance and in receipt of child maintenance, their benefits were reduced accordingly.
But on the 12 April 2010 the law on child maintenance changed. This change means that receiving parents who are on benefits can now keep all the child maintenance they receive and it will not affect their benefits.
For more information on the different ways to set up child maintenance and for a more personalised service, you can visit the Child Maintenance Options website at http://www.cmoptions.org.
The DWP have a sorting out separation web-app that you may find useful. It offers help and support to separating and separated families. The link is: www.dad.info/divorce-and-separation/sorting-out-separation.
Regards
William
Dont pay cash...set up a DD and label it so its clear that it is child maintanance.
Regards,
Dave
Definitely don't pay cash - maintenance shouldn't affect her benefits, so there is no reason for you not to pay by standing order, and a big reason why you should.