When Does child Support Stop

[willspal]

Hi.

I have a 14 year old son, his Father and I have been seperated many years and for the past 8 years he has paid me �100 a month maintance and thats it.

Now he seems to think when he leaves school at 16 that all maintance will stop. BUT my son is going to do a 2 year College course after GCSE and I was under the impression that he still has to pay whilst he is in full time education. It will be a full time college placement. Who is correct in this. Its not a court or child support arrangement, its just an agreed amount he has paid for his son between ourselves over the years.

Thanks.

[lilmonkey]

You're right on this one. Support only stops at 16 if the child has left full-time education. If your son is going on to college then his father should be paying until he either leaves college or turns 19 (whichever is earliest).

[willspal]

Thankyou.

I will try and keep the smile out of my voice when I inform him he is wrong this time.

[campbellking]

One of the girl's I work with had to take her ex-husband to court on this one when he stopped paying maintenance for his daughter on her 18th birthday this year. She is at school doing A-levels. She won.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

i had to support my son till he was 19,while he attended further education

[Big Al1st]

Hi, My son, who pays maintenance is in similar position. According to the CSA web site, as far as I understand it the rule is

" Provided the qualifications that are being studied are the equivalent, or higher, than A levels the maintenance will be paid. Otherwise it can stop,"

This was my interpretation although I may be wrong.

The argument my son had was proving that the studies were not A level standard. He is still arguing with the CSA and having money taken out of his wages although his son has left college, signed on and is 18 years old.

[Minxie]

See, I dont understand all this lark about fathers not paying maintenance towards their children once they reach 16, and say are not staying on with full time education. They are still his children. And they still need supporting!

[sharpy36]

Yep you got a wrong one there,so he stops being a father at 16.Total ****.I love mine to bits and would give up everything for em.I am sorry (i dont mean this to be harsh)your now a statistic.SORRY

[willspal]

Hey No probs, I happen to agree with you, he is a $%*$ and always has been. If he could get out of paying the �100 a month he would be happy, its just I know his address so he is scared I will go to the Child Support Agency. I could hear the excitment in his voice when I told him he was leaving school at 16 BUT he was doing a 2 year college course. Thats when he wanted to say all payments stopped at 16. Now you see why I will try and stop the smile in my voice when I tell him this time he is wrong.

WP

[Big Al1st]

First I would advise you to go to the CSA so that if required you will still get maintenace.

I may have given the wrong imperession about my son and his payments. He is paying for three children with two mothers. The eldest who is now 18, is still claiming CSA. His mother is a social worker, has a live in social worker boy friend, is buying a house, has a new car. and goes on summer holidays abroad leaving her son with us. This has happened since he was 9 years old. During the two to three weeks she is away and we are looking after our grandson, she still gets payment but we, both OAPs, get nothing.

In addition because my son, quite rightly so, is paying for three children he cannot afford a house. Because he is living with us he does not get a rebate for any house keeping money he should pay. If he was living with anyone else he could claim against the rent or lodgings he was paying. However the house and rent around here is so expensive he cannot afford payment.

I am all for CSA but the way it is set up and administered leaves a hell of alot to be desired.

[willow12]

The CSA take 15% of wages for one child in full time education up to the age of 19. It does get complicated because it also depends on whether child benefit is paid. The CSA take ages to sort things out......so loads phone calls