Father never paid child maintenance, AIBU?

[SpringHexagon]

My mum split up with my biological father when I was around 8 months old and I haven't seen him since before I was 2 years old, he was abusive to my mum so not seeing him again isn't an issue for me. He never paid child maintenance though, and as far as I am led to believe, the CSA were not really all that interested or invested in finding him/ making him pay.

Does any know if I can claim against him for this 16 years after leaving full time education? Pretty sure there's nothing I can do now, I'm not even that bothered about the money as such, just sick of reading about deadbeats getting away with this and threatening their wife's and girlfriends with not paying.

Also, AIBU to feel so vengeful? God it makes me so angry to think how scary things must have been for my mum, how hard she had it working multiple jobs, and how well she done to raise me by herself until she met my step dad. How does HE get away without any repercussions?

No, there isn’t anything you can do as he doesn’t legally owe you anything.

If your Mum never accepted the debt being written off and it’s still on file then she’d be entitled to it if he died and left an estate for example. After your child is no longer a qualifying child they don’t chase the money, and they do often have a habit of writing to say they’re going to close and write it off, but some stay on file.

I know someone who was paid several thousand pounds when her ex died unexpectedly when their children were adults, but in that kind of situation he legally owes the Mum, not the child.

https://familylawcafe.co.uk/2020/11/09/when-can-an-adult-child-make-a-financial-claim-against-their-parents/

I wouldn't think so, because that money was owed to your mother for your upkeep, not directly to you.