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Details of situation:
My 17 year old daughter has moved out of home (my ex's address) to live with her boyfriend and his parents a couple of hours away. She has enrolled in college education in that region. My ex and my daughter have not/will not divulge her new address or her college details. My daughter does come home some weekends and I believe is still registered as living at my ex's. I am currently still paying maintenance to my ex for her.
Questions I have:
1. Should I still be paying maintenance for my daughter?
2. Who should I be paying maintenance too?
Thank you
S
Hi There,
.
Maintenance is paid up until the child leaves full time education, and college is included in this, though Uni isn't, If your ex is still claiming child benifit for your daughter then you will need to continue paying your ex.
.
If your payments were set up through CSA then give them a call and ask them to look into things for you.
.
GTTS
Hello Woodward
The definition of a receiving parent (referred to in legislation as the 'person with care') is the person with whom the child has his/her home and who usually provides day-to-day care of the child.
If you have a family-based arrangement in place with, you may wish to try to discuss and negotiate when your payments would 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. It can include money and other kinds of support, for example providing school uniforms, clothes.
The Child Maintenance Options website has a useful tools and guides section that you and the other parent may find helpful when trying to negotiate your family-based arrangement. This can be found at http://www.cmoptions.org.
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.
You may find following link useful that provides further information on when maintenance ends, when Child Benefit ends and receiving Child Benefit when living abroad, https://www.gov.uk/when-child-maintenance-payments-stop.
If you have a case with the Government’s statutory scheme you may wish to contact them directly to discuss your concerns. You will find their details on any letters they have sent you or on Gov.uk at https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance.
If you have a Consent Order/Minute of Agreement in place you may wish to see what is stipulated within your agreement as to where you stand regarding your payments. Alternatively, you may want to seek legal advice.
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.
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
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