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I've just come off the phone tonight after speaking to CSA and have been mortified. I have been paying CSA for nearly the last 5 years, my youngest daughter will turn 19 on the 3rd of October 2013 and I was expecting payments to end soon just like they did when my eldest daughter turned 19. After a bitter divorce and losing virtually everything I had no other choice than go and live with my parents in a spare room. I had banked on the payments dropping off this year so have just put down a deposit on renting a 2 bedroom cottage of which I knew I could afford until I found about a seemingly new legislation that's come in.
My daughter stayed on at school but now that has finished, she has had excellent A level results but is undecided what her next steps are. She is thinking of taking a gap year before she applies to Universities, she also works part.time. Can anyone advise me as I have just joined this forum and I am in a desperate situation.
I've absolutely no idea what I'm going to do now! Help!!!
Hi Sean,
The age for maintenance payments went up to 20 in December last year. They only continue past the age of 16 if the child is in full time non advanced education (this does not include University). As your daughter has left school the payments will be due until September I think.
If the mother continues to claim child benefit past this time then the CSA will continue to expect payments.
Hi Nannyjane
I informed CSA that my daughter had finished non advanced education after getting her A level results and she was thinking about University, but they clearly stated that I would have to carry on paying until she was 20??? Are they allowed to lie???
How would I find out if the mother still claims child benefits??? What age can they allowed to be before child benefits stop???
Thank You for replying - I wasn't expecting anyone to get back to me to be honest 🙂
I can only think that maybe the ex wife is somehow claiming child benefits and that's why the CSA is telling me I have to pay until my daughter is 20???
I'm pretty sure the CSA are wrong!
Its very difficult to find out if the mother is still claiming child benefit, the Child benefit Agency will not talk to you because of confidentiality. You could try and discuss this with the mother and let her know that you are aware that as your daughter has now left education it is her duty to inform the child benefit office and the CSA of this change in circumstances. She could be fined up to £1000 for not reporting any changes (I've never heard this actually happening though, but your ex wont know this!)
You could also inform her that if the CSA are still taking payments from you after the first week in September you will have no alternative to report her for benefit fraud.
There is also a sticky at the top of this section about appealing a CSA decision.
Its up to the parent receiving benefits and maintenance to inform the agencies of the change in circumstances....they sometimes don't and this causes all sorts of problems for the paying parent.
Thank You for the help and guidance - I will ring CSA again tomorrow when I finish work, I will also visit C.A.B and see if they can assist in any way 🙂
...I forgot to mention, if your daughter is in paid employment of at least 24hrs a week then child benefit should stop immediately.
Does that still apply even if she is attending a college course of at least 12 hours per week? That's quite useful 🙂
Heres a link to the gov.uk website ~
www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19/your-child-leaves-education-or-training
...I got the info from the .gov website, link above. Its not clear but I read it as... when the child leaves education, child benefit continues until Aug 31st etc, unless they start work or are in receipt of certain benefits, then payment should stop straightaway.
Thanks for that - I've read it now, and I agree entirely with your interpretation of it 🙂
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