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My daughter now 18 ...
 
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My daughter now 18 and dropped out of college do I still pay child maintenance verbal private agreement


Posts: 16
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Topic starter
(@dazlad73)
Eminent Member
Joined: 7 months ago

Hi all, my daughter is 18 and I’ve always paid CM directly to mother. (Never ever missed a payment) Β I had a confirmation email from college to inform me that my daughter has now been withdrawn from her college course and the final date was 12th Dec 2024 although I had paid full payment in Dec and half payment in Jan 2025 !Β 
im under the impression that I no longer have to pay Cm given she is over 18 and is also working part time.Β 
Although I received this email from my ex partner (never married)Β 

I tried to update Child benefits but the man stated me ex has a duty to update re any changes !Β 

it looks like she has not informed that my daughter is working part time ! !Β 

Email read -

- Just giving you an update.Β 

Child maintainance should be paid until end of Feb if xxxxxxxxx is no longer in education.Β 

Child maintainance said as long as I receive child benefit I should receive child maintainance from you.Β 

I’ve informed child benefit and they said I can apply for a 20 week extension of child benefit (whilst xxxxxxxxx. sorts out what she wants to do) which I did last week because I will still have to financially support her, well WE still need to support her.Β 

I have now sent you confirmation that child benefit will be paid until 1sept 2025, which means you should still be paying too.Β 

How do you want to proceed? I’m happy to arrange through the maintenance service if you still believe you shouldn’t be paying and let them sort it? Let me knowΒ 

ThanksΒ 

Β 

13 Replies
Posts: 5378
(@dadmod2)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 6 years ago

hi, Child benefit is heavily tied to CMS system. so if child benefit is still active then CMS will expect you to pay. it is better to avoid CMS opening a case. will only cause more stress for you.

info: https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19#:~:text=Your%20Child%20Benefit%20stops%20on,available%20in%20Welsh%20(Cymraeg).

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(@dazlad73)
Joined: 7 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 16

@dadmod2 thank you so much for your response I really appreciate it. My daughter put in a UC claim in today ! Would that make any difference? I’ve also emailed both CM / CB with evidence that my daughter knows what she wants to do and that is to work, so my ex has mislead CB . (The 20 week extension is apparently based on thinking time whether education or employment) !
I also have copied the text in from my daughter to say she only wants to work and her mum have applied for jobs and following this text the day after her mum forward me my daughters CV ! Again this is evidence that she wants to work only . It’s annoying because I’ was informed that once 18 and leaves education and working then you don’t have a legal duty to pay CM. Isn’t Universal credit to help with living costs ! The system is a joke in my opinion . Thank you 🙏

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(@dadmod2)
Joined: 6 years ago

Illustrious Member
Posts: 5378

@dazlad73 You’ll stop getting Child Benefit if your child:

starts paid work for 24 hours or more a week and is no longer in approved education or training

starts an apprenticeship in England

starts getting certain benefits, such as Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit/eligibility#:~:text=Yo u'll%20stop%20getting%20Child,Support%20Allowance%20or%20Universal%20Credit

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(@dazlad73)
Joined: 7 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 16

@dadmod2 thank you so much for the guidance and links

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(@dazlad73)
Joined: 7 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 16

@dadmod2 Well I received a positive outcome after numerous emails to both CSA & CB. Basically I knew my ex had been telling lies to CB to enable her to receive CB extension post 18 (even though my daughter had left education and was working part time) she was also claiming UC !
Anyway CSA text me the following today

β€œAll of your cases with the Child Maintenance Service are now closed. Please cancel any further payments. Thank you.”

Does that mean I no longer have to reply to the initial letter regarding my income ?

Thanks

Darren

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Admin
(@markn)
Joined: 9 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 12

@dazlad73 Hi, the UK benefits system can often be a bit of a tricky one to navigate, and often conflicting information comes around which then makes it seem even more confusing. The child turning 18 is one of these misconceptions.
DadMod2's link regarding Child Benefit gives the details on the end date, however now that your daughter has made a claim for UC she will then be treated for benefit terms as an adult. It may take a while for the claim for UC claim to be processed, but the Child Benefit may end quite quickly. In the interests of ensuring your daughter can be supported during that period, it would still be a good thing to make maintenance payments. Thinking of your daughter in this process, she is going through a really transformative period in her life. Its great that your daughter is looking to take responsibility for her future and get into work. She has made the decision no longer to go to college and is instead looking to forge a path in another direction. This may be quite a stressful time for her and therefore if you and her mum can show a united front in supporting her through this then your relationship with her can be strengthened.

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Registered
(@dazlad73)
Joined: 7 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 16

@markn thank you so much for your help and support it is very much appreciated.
It’s just that my ex is money driven and last year she went for half my house and had lied then also !! We wasn’t even married and her name was not on my mortgage ! !
It’s just really frustrating because I’ve been a very positive dad and always gone above and beyond for my 3 daughters, has well has paying CM (never ever missed) I paid extras to them like holiday money , go Henry app spending money , clothes etc etc
I just don’t understand that other information states that when a young person is 16 or over and no longer in education then I no longer have a legal responsibility to pay CM
MY EX is threatening to make a clam for my daughter who is now 18 and working part time ! I and will soon be in receipt if UC !
Surely they can’t request from myself also ?
Also does anyone have a direct email for CSA and Child benefits services
Thank you
Darren

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(@dadmod2)
Joined: 6 years ago

Illustrious Member
Posts: 5378

@dazlad73 if child applied for UC, will be about 5-6 weeks wait for it to kick in. then look out for a letter from CMS. they should write to you about these changes. benefits office shares this info with CMS. you can email cms at:
correspondence@dwp.gov.uk and complaintreviewteam@dwp.gov.uk

for child benefit have to contact HMRC: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs/contact/child-benefit

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(@dazlad73)
Joined: 7 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 16

@dadmod2 thank you again for all your support and links I have emailed these contacts with all the evidence I have
Thank you

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(@dazlad73)
Joined: 7 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 16

@dadmod2
I’m confused again so my partner has applied for the 20 week extension for CB given my daughter dropped out of college although on the website it states below how they qualify ! My daughter is 18 and it states below they must be 16-17 !

Apply for an extension
You could get Child Benefit for 20 weeks (called an β€˜extension’) if your child leaves approved education or training and either:

registers with their local careers service, Connexions (or a similar organisation in Northern Ireland, the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein)
signs up to join the armed forces
You can either:

apply for the extension online
contact HMRC to apply for the extension
To qualify your child must:

be 16 or 17
work less than 24 hours a week
not get certain benefits (for example Income Support)
You must have been entitled to Child Benefit immediately before they left the approved education or training and apply for it within 3 months of them leaving.

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Posts: 16
Registered
Topic starter
(@dazlad73)
Eminent Member
Joined: 7 months ago

UPDATE 4-2-2025Β 

following on calls from CM I got set up.
although I have added all my evidence.
also they stated I should update Β CB of which I did. The man was very helpful and reported a false child benefit claim by my ex partner of which is now being exploredΒ 

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Posts: 16
Registered
Topic starter
(@dazlad73)
Eminent Member
Joined: 7 months ago

Hi All.

given the recent situation I have just been in I found this video to be very helpful. Basically my daughter is 18 and dropped out of education. Her mother thought it would be ok to put in an extension on her CB Claim and that way I would have to continue paying her CM !! however my daughter is over 18, not in education and she’s now also claiming Uc (help with living costs).Β 
si why should fathers still have to support !! The system is totally wrongΒ 

https://youtu.be/P75lnaGlKs0?si=kL8l_uZR4scTQane

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1 Reply
Registered
(@dazlad73)
Joined: 7 months ago

Eminent Member
Posts: 16

Positive news today πŸ™‚ πŸ™‚
It pays off to be persistent and forward evidence to both CB / CSA
My ex was trying to put in an extension for CB !! Even though my daughter is 18 and no longer in education and she knew what my daughter wanted to do which was to work ! Although she as telling lies to prolong her benefit claim β€œtut tut”
KARMA !!!
Always keep evidence including emails and texts

CSA text me this today
β€œAll of your cases with the Child Maintenance Service are now closed. Please cancel any further payments. Thank you.”

My ex thought she could open a case post 18
β€œJoker” KARMA !

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