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i just want to check, i have 3 kids 12, 17 & 18, youngest still at school, 17 just about to start a job, my 18 year old is still at college, but is 19 in november, does anyone know if i still have to pay for my 2 older kids.
thanx chris
It depends on whether they are in full time non advanced education (ie 12 hours a week or more) - I assume your 17 year old isn't, in which case, child benefit should stop for him, and so child maintenance should also stop. Child benefit (and therefore maintanenance) now continues to age 20 if they are in full time education.
Hello Chris
Thank you for your post. I am William, the Child Maintenance Options consultant.
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. You can find further information about this at https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19.
You asked if you still have to pay maintenance for your two older children. If you have a family-based arrangement in place, this is simply an agreement between you and the other parent. This type of arrangement is not legally enforceable but it is flexible, so both of you can agree when your payments will stop for your children.
If your payments have been arranged through the Government's statutory service you would need to contact them directly to confirm when your payments will stop. You can find their contact details below:
Telephone: 0845 609 0082
Opening hours: 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm Saturday
Textphone: 08457 138 924
Website: https://www.gov.uk/childmaintenance
If your payments are part of a Consent Order, which is an official ruling made by a court, it would depend what is stated in this about when your payments stop. Therefore, to clarify this you may wish to contact the court where your order was made or seek legal advice. You can find contact details for solicitors in your area at http://find-legal-advice.justice.gov.uk/.
We have a sorting out separation web-app that you may find useful, it offers help and support to separated families. You can find this at http://www.dad.info/divorce-and-separation/sorting-out-separation.
If you would like to talk to our team in complete confidence about child maintenance you could give us a ring on 0800 988 0988 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday or 9am and 4pm on Saturday. We also have some other useful tools on our website to help support separated parents.
- Samaritans – call 116 123
- Shout – text the word ‘Shout’ to 85258
