My son (born Sep 2003) lives with his mum. Recently the relationship has become strained to the point where she has asked him to leave on more than 1 occasion. He is currently staying with a friend as I am with a new partner, and there is no space for him to stay with us.
If he does not return home soon, I will be giving her money even though she will not be using it on him. My question is whether CM can be paid directly him or does it have to go to his mum?
Many thanks.
Hi,
are you paying child maintenance through CMS or do you have a private arrangement?
do you know if mother still gets child benefit? if its ended then technically child maintenance stops as well.
A private arrangement calculated using the online government calculator.
I have no relationship with his mother, so unable to answer the CB question.
He is currently in full time education and has 1 year left of his course, based on this CM is still paid until he goes into employment?
KR
child maintenance stops when child leaves full-time education.
Maintenance stops when they leave full time education,but only at A level, level. What course is your son doing. Check its eligible for maintenance.
I'd stop the payments and just give your son money directly, what ever you want or can afford. Wait and see if the mother puts in a claim for CSA.
Public services course. He has now gone back home but she is refusing him food!
Steve. You can do it 2 ways.
Stop paying her and give money to your son - what ever you can afford, and wait to see if she makes a claim with CMS (all of which will take time). You say you pay an amount worked out using their calculator - if so you have nothing to lose as if she claims then you will be paying the same amount.
Or stop paying, ring cms and ask them verify if the course your son is doing comes under the child maintenance criteria. You will need to know the full details of your sons course.
Here's some info - may help
To be classed as “approved”, education has to be full time. Full-time education must be for more than an average of 12 hours per week of “supervised study or course-related work experience”.
This includes:
• A levels or equivalent
• Traineeships in England
• NVQs and other vocational qualifications (only up to level 3)
Approved education can also include home education, as long as it was started before the child’s 16th birthday.
University degrees are not classed as approved education.
If your child is in approved education, child maintenance stops when they reach 20.
Sounds like your son could do with the help right now - personally I'd start giving him money. You only have a maximum 1 year left of CSA payments what ever course he's doing.