[Solved] How do I know if child is still in education

Hello Davsas

With you having a family-based arrangement in place, it would be between you and your daughter’s other parent to discuss and negotiate on when your maintenance payments will end. Although family-based arrangements are not legally enforceable, parents can decide the terms of their agreement to suit their current circumstances, as there are no strict rules or formulas to follow.

If you feel you can’t come to an agreement on when your payments will end, you may wish to follow the guidelines set by the Government. Under child support legislation, regular child maintenance payments must be made until a child is 16 years old, or 20 if they are in full-time, non-advanced education (A-level or equivalent), or for as long as Child Benefit is being paid. When a child leaves full-time education in the summer, Child Benefit generally continues until the first week of September.

For further information on when maintenance ends and what courses are classed as full-time non-advanced education, you may find the following link useful https://www.gov.uk/when-child-maintenance-payments-stop.

For more information on all 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 website that you may find useful. It offers help and support to separating and separated families. The link is: https://www.sortingoutseparation.org.uk/.

Regards

William

When you say it's a private arrangement, was this sorted out through the CMS (the replacement for CSA)? As long as it's a family based arrangement, then doing as you suggest seems the way to go - bear in mind that children legally have to be educated up to age 18 these days unless in an apprenticeship. However, if you stop paying, but pay the money into a savings account, you are covered in every way, and if she doesn't provide proof, then you can spend the savings as you see fit.

I am in the exact same predicament. I have chased the child benefits office to try and get answers but no joy. My daughter is 19 this October and have been paying direct as per the agreement set up by the CSA in 2016.
I have put this months payment in a savings account in the hope that the mother will make some noises if it is actually due.

Hi Yan,

Seems the most sensible option. If you have any contact with ex or daughter might be worthwhile exploring with them, otherwise save the money in case you are chased in future.

Thanks

I am in the exact same predicament. I have chased the child benefits office to try and get answers but no joy. My daughter is 19 this October and have been paying direct as per the agreement set up by the CSA in 2016.
I have put this months payment in a savings account in the hope that the mother will make some noises if it is actually due.

hi,

if your paying through CSA,now CMS, you should be careful. if you stop paying, you will fall into arrears and it will become a headache.

Hi
It is a private arrangement that was set up by the CSA before they closed. It’s nothing to do with the CMS, I’ve even contacted the CMS for advice on the situation and as I’m not on they’re system they can’t advise.
I don’t have contact with my daughters mother or my daughter. It’s possible she left college last year and I’m paying when I don’t need to! The mother certainly isn’t going to inform me to stop paying.
Regards

I would stop paying, set aside then funds and wait to see if you get any contact...

I'm in the same boat m8

Daughter turned 19 today and I've been paying maintenance for 18 years via CSA and now CMS.

My daughter's mother is so bitter and underhanded when it comes to money (one of the reasons why we split) and I very much doubt my daughter is still in education and therefore not entitled to child benefit anymore, resulting in me not really needing to pay maintenance.

Child benefit office refuse to deal with me (because the daughter doesn't reside with me).

So I'm going to contact the CMS on Monday and tell them my concerns, in the hope everything gets resolved once and for all.

Hi,

Good luck on Monday, let us know how you get on.

Thanks