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Original poster

Child maintenance-How to report death of paying parent

19 replies

Alittlelostsometimes · 06/08/2024 23:17

My ds's dad passed away suddenly and I need to inform the child maintenance service. I can't find anything on my online account as to how to report this. Does anybody know how to do this please? We weren't really on speaking terms and lived far apart. He had no contact with ds. I won't have access to the death certificate to prove he has died and Google hasn't helped me navigate this.

OP posts:
TheFormidableMrsC · 06/08/2024 23:20

I want to say sorry but it doesn't seem appropriate so I'm sorry for your DS. I don't know the process and have wondered this myself as a receiving parent but presume that HMRC will be informed and ergo, other agencies. You can submit a letter via the account so I would perhaps do that and see how they respond to you. I'm sorry that all the financial pressures are yours now.

Morph22010 · 06/08/2024 23:22

I’m not sure but do you have to notify them? I would have thought it would have come from your exs side as the payment will just stop

Original poster
Alittlelostsometimes · 06/08/2024 23:34

Thank you. It's a tricky situation but I loved him very much and had known him over 3 decades. A sad situation all round.

I can't see a section to submit a letter-whereabouts would I find that please? It's something that must be communicated otherwise you can be fined.

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Ivehearditbothways · 06/08/2024 23:40

Why would they fine you? You realise that a lot of parents receiving maintenance have absolutely not contact with their ex, and wouldn’t even know if he died until the money stopped coming. Are you saying we would get fined, for not knowing and not being able to tell them?

Who told you that you’d get fined?

Don’t bother with the online portal. Pick up the phone and call them, Lines open at 8am. Just call them, tell them you’ve been made aware that he has died and would like to close your claim.

TheFormidableMrsC · 06/08/2024 23:41

Alittlelostsometimes · 06/08/2024 23:34

Thank you. It's a tricky situation but I loved him very much and had known him over 3 decades. A sad situation all round.

I can't see a section to submit a letter-whereabouts would I find that please? It's something that must be communicated otherwise you can be fined.

I haven't had to log in for a while but there is a section to contact them and upload documents. Or send it via recorded mail.

Ihopeithinkiknow · 06/08/2024 23:44

Whoever is dealing with his estate will notify who they need to won't they? I don't think you are going to be fined and they will probably want a death certificate anyway so I would just leave it to whoever is dealing with that side of things. I'm sorry for your loss and of course your sons loss.

Blondeshavemorefun · 06/08/2024 23:51

Sorry for your loss

Sure anyone can pay for a death certificate via birth marriage deaths

Might be worth obtaining a couple of ever need them

TheFormidableMrsC · 06/08/2024 23:51

Ivehearditbothways · 06/08/2024 23:40

Why would they fine you? You realise that a lot of parents receiving maintenance have absolutely not contact with their ex, and wouldn’t even know if he died until the money stopped coming. Are you saying we would get fined, for not knowing and not being able to tell them?

Who told you that you’d get fined?

Don’t bother with the online portal. Pick up the phone and call them, Lines open at 8am. Just call them, tell them you’ve been made aware that he has died and would like to close your claim.

I was sat for 3 hours the last time I had to ring them. It's not the easiest option these days unfortunately and they encourage contact via the portal. It's a terrible "service".

Ivehearditbothways · 06/08/2024 23:54

Who told you that you would be fined?

Mercury2702 · 06/08/2024 23:56

im unsure if it will cover it but it might be covered under the governments tell us once service?

different situation but my mum died young in February and when registering her death I was given a code to ring the governments tell us once service, in which they said all government departments benefit and hmrc (I believe) services are notified without having to ring each individually. It also covered bus passes and libraries I think

Milkand2sugarsplease · 07/08/2024 00:00

Could you not just close your case with them and shut it down that way.

Alternatively - I'm not sure they'll do anything. You know the payments will cease and you're obviously not going to report any late/missed payments so cms aren't going to act on anything.
Surely it's up to whoever is dealing with his estate to notify people/companies of his death?

Original poster
Alittlelostsometimes · 07/08/2024 00:03

Thank you.

I have contacted them via the report a change upload a document section and have just included a blank piece of paper to be able to do it that way. It's crazy not to have a section to enable this.

It says under the "changes you must tell us about" section that you can be fined if you do not tell them of changes. My head is a mess at the moment with supporting ds, the shock, the questions, the financial worry now, sorting out our side of the funeral travel etc. I got worried about a possible fine. It makes sense though that people might not know the paying parent had died if not in contact. I only know because his other dc told me.

I don't know if there is a will. I don't think there will be. He wasn't named on the birth certificate because he refused to attend the registry office with me to register the birth of ds. I don't know if he made any provision for ds in the event if his death but I doubt it. His middle dc is his nominated NOK and the only dc he was involved with. His bank account hasn't been closed yet because the maintenance money arrived yesterday which would have been for July because as far as I know it's paid in arrears. He also had some arrears on the account. Not much but some. Will I need to pay that back?

OP posts:
Ivehearditbothways · 07/08/2024 00:07

CMS will go after any arrears he owes from his estate (well, they can go after hut quite often, they will just inform you that they are writing it off).

You won’t have to pay anything back if he owed you arrears.

You will not be fined for not telling them. It isn’t your responsibility to tell them.

Jellytotsandwinegums · 07/08/2024 00:25

I'm not an expert, but i think your child should have a claim on the estate, even if not named in the will. While your ex was not named on the birth cert, he seems to have accepted responsibility as he paid maintenance, and your child is still a minor.

Can you talk to a solicitor about this ASAP, I have no idea, but perhaps there is a need for a DNA sample to be taken? You son has rights and you need ongoing financial support.

I don't see how you could be fined for not telling them, but you could simply write to them to inform them.

And I'm sorry you're going through such a difficult time.

Original poster
Alittlelostsometimes · 07/08/2024 12:28

Thank you. I guess his NOK will do the tell us once thing and CMS will get official notification through that.
I don't know about a claim on the estate. It would be nice if NOK takes ds into consideration but it's not expected.

OP posts:
Original poster
Alittlelostsometimes · 07/08/2024 21:31

If ds were to inherit anything would that affect my benefits? I'm a full time carer for my parent. The money would go into ds's account not mine.

OP posts:
WestminsterWanderer · 07/08/2024 21:35

If he was working and paying into a pension then there may be a payment/benefit for any dependent children. This is in addition to the payment to the named beneficiary

unicornsarereal72 · 07/08/2024 21:43

Ring them. I've never had to wait too long. And I ring them frequently

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