Csa ended but now going back to college

[Giraffe5]

My dp paid csa to the age of 16. We got a call from csa to say it had stopped as the child no longer qualities. Step child was at college at this point. They've since left college and moved out of their mums house to live with an aunt. They are now talking about going back to college at 19. Will csa start again?

[sandgrown]

Depends on the level of the course and also if child qualifies for child benefit. If a non-advanced course CSA could be paid to age 20. Under new scheme parents are encouraged to make their own agreements .

[Giraffe5]

It will be a beauty course I think. Not a levels or higher.

[OllyBJolly]

The bigger question is whether the child/YA's father is willing to support them, assuming they are serious about gaining a qualification that leads to employment. The child might no longer qualify under CSA rules (or whatever it's called now) but it would be usual for parents to support children in some way until they finished education.

Who is funding living costs?

[gingerboy1912]

Who is paying for your dp's child at the moment?

[Giraffe5]

We continued to pay the maintenance but not through the csa

[Petal02]

Whilst I agree it's very nice for a parent to support a YA throughout continuing education, I think the 'end date' of age 20 is appropriate for compulsory maintenance. Beyond that, voluntary support is great if the parent can afford it and/or feels happy to continue paying, but there has to come a point when a young person is financially independent.

[Giraffe5]

That's what we hoped. We pay slightly less than we did under csa and wondered if it's all going to change just as we thought they were becoming more independent. I has to earn my own way from 18 and it did me no harm

[Bluelilies]

Have they moved back in with their mum? Or planning to? I don't think CMS is payable to the Mum unless they do. And only then if she applies for it.

[Giraffe5]

Is the cms payable to the child?

[Giraffe5]

If we need to pay more, we were hoping it would go straight to the child

[Bluelilies]

No, it's never payable direct to the child, only to the resident parent. You can agree privately to pay the child though, and may prevent their resident parent from applying for CM if you do.