[Solved] In education, out of education

Hi

Yes, your ex could make an application to CMS for maintenance, and you would be obliged to pay.

Hi Baggyboy711

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.

The definition of full-time education is more than 12 hours a week of study, on a course up to and including A-level standard. If the child is in advanced or higher education, they will no longer qualify for child maintenance through the statutory service.

A child aged 16 or 17 who is not in education, is not working and does not receive employment related benefits, is also defined as a child and would be classed as a qualifying child for child maintenance.

If a child leaves full-time non-advanced education only to return again before they are 20, then maintenance payments can commence once again.

Child Maintenance Options do have more information about child maintenance and your options on their website at http://www.cmoptions.org.

You may also be interested to know the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a website, 'Sorting out Separation'. It aims to make it much easier for separating and separated parents (and childless couples) to find the support they need, when and where they need it, and encourages them to collaborate on a range of issues. The link is http://www.sortingoutseparation.org.uk/

For a more personalised service, you may wish to visit the Child Maintenance Options website yourself.

Regards

William

So in what situation would a 16 year old not be entitled to receive child maintenance ?