Hi, I’ve searched everywhere for information about situations similar to mine but can’t find anything.
I’ll try to keep it brief so here goes, anybody got any advice I’d love to read it.
I split up with my daughters mother about 6 years ago. We came to an agreed amount I should pay her each month which I payed every month without fail.
about a year ago for reasons I still don’t know she got the CMS involved. Obviously they came back with a ridiculous amount which has financially hurt me quite badly.
The situation currently is my daughter is 18 and is at collage. Last week she decided she didn’t want to continue at collage so got herself a full time job (45 hours a week).
Her mother text me to tell me to make one more payment then that’s it. Great thought I…….until a day later when she text me again to say our daughter is still doing the full time job but is going to continue with full time education until the end of term so I should continue with the payments until august (yes she is the vindictive type)
Now, I have no problem with that if it actually happens and she gets a qualification from it but I have my doubts it’s possible to do both simultaneously. I suspect my daughter has been persuaded to say she’s going to continue the coarse.
i rang the CMS yesterday and eventually got through to a gentleman that sympathised with my predicament but because they haven’t been told my daughter has left full time education they can’t/won’t do anything. The full time job is irrelevant!
when I asked if anybody even follows up peoples claims that the child is actually doing the required full time education he said no.
There is also the fact that my daughter is taking 2 separate 1 week holidays abroad before the end of term. Not sure that has any relevance really.
Anyway, that’s about as brief as I can make, apologies it’s not very brief 😏
Thanks for reading and for any advice you wish to post.
hi,
yes CMS tend to take a reactive approach. they expect parents to notify them of any changes. this clip should be useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UCgxgwt_Gs
would also recommend you join this facebook group for CMS support for paying parents. many experienced members on there. be sure to answer their registration questions
Thanks for the quick responses. I watched the video. Yes his son is working as is my daughter but he doesn’t mention whether he’s in education or not so I presume not. The issue I have which seems to be unique as I can’t find anybody in google land that’s asked is can the parent claim maintenance for a ‘child’ that’s working 45 hours a week but is still doing the minimum required 12 hours education that’s classed as full time education.
CMS like to link child benefit with child maintenance. according to this, if they stay in approved education, then child benefit/maintenance continues. its seems unfortunately a lot of this relies on the resident parent being honest
Hi my husband had a similar scenario but not exactly the same. His daughter left college in the May after the end of a two year course and was working. He informed CMS in May but he had to pay full child maintenance to his ex until the a September as she remained eligible for child benefit until the Sep after she left left college ! The ex also lied and said she wasn’t working full time so not exactly the same scenario as you. As other posts have said CMS goes by child benefit so for as long as your ex is eligible to be paid it she can go for maintenance payments. I really feel for you and the other dads as the system is completely weighted in favour of the resident parent which is usually a bitter ex wife/partner !! It encourages them to try and prevent dads having access to their children as that means they get less money as less overnight stays. It’s shameful, it really is and I hope you get this resolved.