Child Maintenance

[Gillan3190]

Hi there .

Looking for a bit of advice . My partner and myself pay child maintenance weekly to his pervious partner for his 17 year old daughter , I have been made aware that she hasn't attended school since Oct 2023 and is currently working for her mother. I know her mother has not informed Child benefits of this situation and therefore CM will not close the case until CB stops , Does anyone have any advice on what I can do ? Can I contact the school ?

@hoppityscotch they are more than happy to talk to me I have been a representative on the case for the last 10 years. If they didn't talk to me they would have no contact at all . Because my partner works full time and it's impossible to get through to them on the phone and now they've cancelled their online message service the only way to contact them is waiting hours on the phone or by post

The parent can nominate someone to deal with it. I dealt with it for years as they are far more receptive to women

It's less than a year until she's 18. Is it really worth the hassle of disputing it?

@RedHelenB yes if the mother is commiting fraud. Wouldn't you agree ?

I disagree it's fraud. If the parents were together they would be financially supporting a 17 year old as its unlikely they'd be earning enough to be living independently.

@RedHelenB I'm sorry so your saying a parent claiming benefits which should stop after a child leaves school but continues to receives these benefits because she hasn't told the government of the child leaving school isn't fraud ?? If you look back and actually read my posts I say we will continue to provide money straight to the child after child maintenance payments stop and not into the mother's bank account

She is fraudulently claiming child benefit and child maintenance. Both of those things are only paid when a child is in ft education at 17. Working 17yos are not entitled to be claimed for.

This isn't just about the parents supporting, it's the state. It doesn't matter whether you disagree, it's fraud.

Sad really. My ex still pays cm for my oldest son even though he has left school. He is in a very low paid job and needs all the help he can get at the moment to retrain and get into a career. It is for your partner to pay the cm. I feel sorry for your SD.

Did you ignore the part where she said it would be paid to the SD directly? Or are you trying to be deliberately inflammatory?

It’s not fraud. CB will just be paid back. Lots claim it and earn over the limit they just repay it. CM how can it be fraud paying for your own child.

Claiming it whilst earning over the limit is legal, there is an arrangement to pay it back. Claiming something you are not entitled to, is fraud.

She is making a false claim, it's fraud.

Perhaps the 17 year old is on minimum wage for a 17 year old so really doesn’t earn enough to pay housekeeping etc. Therefore someone has to contribute to their living costs and my guess is it should be the father. Just like he would if they were still a family.

It's just whataboutery, she doesn't have a valid claim. It doesn't matter what you think or how you personally feel, the regulations are just that. She doesn't have a valid claim. It's frankly tough shit, things aren't the same when you're not a family anymore. Her dad wants to contribute to her directly and that is his choice.

Oh and ft minimum wage is plenty to pay board. What do you think generations of teenagers have done? Christ I paid board on an apprentice wage.

@IneedanewTV you clearly can't read properly . I suggest you go back and read all my posts and get ur facts right before you comment . Intact don't comment if you can't answer the question I have asked 🤷

Well there's nothing to stop OPs partner from doing that, but this was not suggested in the OP. Obviously want to wash their hands financially of the child as soon as they can. My kids are at uni but I'm still subbing them.

It was advised in subsequent posts. You realistically should have read them before wading in with aggressive comments that are frankly bollocks. You've just done it again now. Why is that? Why do you think you know a stranger better than she knows herself?

You are so aggressive.

It is probably best raising with the mother first as her daughter may be working for her on an informal basis with no pay although it seems unlikely and more likely that the child benefit should have stopped. Sadly for many these days they don't get child benefit at all - none of my grandchildren's parents do. We seem to get less and less and less from the state here in England every year and pay more and more taxes. So I don't see why it should be going to a parent if there is no entitlement but that would need to checked before causing dreadful decades of family drama if there is a simple explanation. It appears that in Scotland unlike England children can leave school at 16 even if not in an apprenticeship but it is possible the mother here has taken on her daughter as an apprentice or what was said about the daughter working for the mother is a lie or some other explanation.

The best thing for the girl might be to suggest she goes to university and her parents help her with some of the costs particularly as in Scotland there are not the £9250 fees a year we English parents face.

Really? It wasn't me who waded on making false accusations was it?

OP, what did his minute of agreement say about child maintenance/benefit?

Sometimes that can be different from the official lines of CM/CB

@ProseccoOnIce I'm not sure what you mean ? In Scotland parents receive CB until their child leaves school and doesn't go into a higher course of further education. If the child doesn't go in to further education thats when CB stops and once that stops any arrangement for payments through CM stop too . That's the government rules

@IneedanewTV I think you need to take yourself off this forum as you have been no help at all and clearly have no idea what your talking about. Your attitude towards people trying to help is a disgrace

She will be in alot of bother if she's claiming child benefit fraudulently. I genuinely forgot to inform them when my son left his apprenticeship and I have hefty overpayment to pay back, no ifs or buts about it. You could report it anonymously online as it's classed as benefit fraud and it will be looked into, she will be contacted and asked to prove her daughter is in college

@MissMaple82 thank you for your comment . I will look into that.