Child Support Payments & Benefits ~ How does this work?

[Pippa68]

My 14 year old stepdaughter has expressed a wish to go into a shared residency situation with us & her mother. She currently lives with her mother full time and comes to stay with us every other weekend.

Stepdaughter has now decided she would like to split the time right down the middle...two weeks here, two weeks there ~ with holidays also being equally split. We pay maintenance, but would obviously have to rearrange this if my stepdaughter comes to live with us half the time. I have looked on the CSA website & couldn't find any info other than reference to the 'non resident parent being the one who has the shorter amount of time with the child'

How do we go about the financial side..I am not sure if the child support gets cut or done away wth altogether ~ and is child benefit split?

Thanks in advance :o)

[Yorky Lass]

If your stepdaughter stayed overnight one night a week then the weekly payments would reduce by 1/7th. Therefore, I can only presume that the whole payment would be readjusted according to the new set up.
Give the CSA a call, they are very approachable and will act as assessors if you wish and not necessarily just as collectors.

[Pippa68]

Thanks :o)

I think that is the only way forward! Mr P isn't keen on contacting the CSA as he has had so much trouble with them in the past..but it is neccessary.

Still not sure about child benefit. It appears only one parent can receive it.