When does child maintenance end?

[Fallulah]

Child did an extra year at college so is well over 18. Maintenance has rightly continued throughout this extra year.

Child has now finished college and started a full time job.

When does the maintenance stop? Is it now or is it at the end of the academic year (31 August)?

If someone could link something definite, that would be really helpful.

18th birthday, or when they leave education. They can have birthdays or leave at any time of year, so why would the arbitrarily maintenance carry on until 31st August?

Now they have started a full time job and finished their secondary education. Don’t just not pay though, speak to the mother and say that you will no longer be paying.

Apparently the end of the last term of full time education

Mine stopped when dd finished a levels - unfortunately the costs for her didn’t.

DSD has just finished A' Levels and CM to her mum finishes on 31/08, after which DH will give her money directly, whilst she's at university.

in my case it was the day of dd2’s 18th birthday and not a penny more. 🙄

Legally it's when they finish education - so the last day of their last A Level (or equivalent) but many parents have a private arrangement with the absent parent about an appropriate stopping point.

So there’s absolutely no consensus then! 😆

Child is DH’s - he thinks he can stop paying now and give money directly to the child.

On past history I think the mother will be challenging about this (even though she is charging child rent so there is very little change for her) and am trying to avoid conflict between them.

For the sake of two months I think he should just keep paying to 31 Aug but I need something to actually show him that that is what he has to do!

Direct payments to me stopped on the day of DD's last A level. I don't know if he started paying DD directly instead as it wasn't my business what that arrangement (if any), was. He did, however, pay her deposit on her flat and her 1st month's rent when she went to uni which he offered to do.

My payments for DS stopped as soon as he left A-levels to do an apprenticeship, at 16.

He hasn’t given anything towards his upkeep since, or given any money directly to DS, he has just finished with that stuff now and also doesn’t have DS to stay over or take him on family holidays with the younger siblings who he does pay maintenance for (although he did put some money in his birthday card!)

I’d have been totally happy for him to start giving money directly to DS, or paying for driving lessons for example, would have been great.

It is one for a conversation between the parents, there is the legal aspect, but then also what they want for their child.

Many 18 years olds living at home only pay token rents while their parents still foot most of the bill. If this is the case dad should keep contributing too. Whether that is via the child and mum in turn charges more rent is irrelevant, but no decent dad stops paying at 18 unless the child is fully self sufficient.