My son is 18 and leaving 6th form in May. As far as I'm concerned thats it for maintenance. Ive always paid a fair amount both through CMS and private arrangement. Childs mother expects me to carry on paying until September. My son sees none of the money, he works part time and buys all his own clothes, haircuts, toiletries etc. she obviously pays the bills at their house but it is nowhere near what i pay. My maintenance is just used to supplement her income.
When can i stop paying maintenance? Would the Child Maintenance Service even start a new case at this stage if i stop paying as soon as he leaves sixth form (I am currently paying maintenance through an informal arrangement, no case at CMS at all at the moment)? Theres some confusion to me as i believed i had to pay all the while child benefit is paid for him, and I've been told that may still be paid until september.
Thanks for any help.
hi, you can message the mother and see if she will agree to maintenance stopping now. see below:
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. The definition of full-time education is more than 12 hours a week of study, on a course up to and including A-level standard. If the child is in advanced or higher education such as university, legally, they will no longer qualify for child maintenance through the statutory service.
https://www.dad.info/forum/child-maintenance/49784-when-do-i-stop-paying-csa-for-my-son