Cancel child maintenance?

[CherryPiePiePie]

Wasn’t sure where to post this and didn’t want to post in Aibu. But is it wrong to cancel a child maintenance case when it’s literally pennies? Just had the annual review through and it’s £6.72 a week for my children, just seems like an insult more than anything. It’s been this way since we split but the reminders make me angry how pathetic it is. I see posts saying it’s the children’s money and they have a right to the money, but £6.72 a week? Who really needs that it pays for nothing.

I agree it is absolutely pittance.
But also think you should not cancel it. Put it in a savings account- maybe get premium bonds- it would be great if they won some money over the years!

Put it into an isa or savings account or Open a kids stocks and shares isa

Over 15/18 years you'll have a tidy sum

And it's men like him that give dads a bad name!! My husband pays £400 now for 1 child, his other 2 are adults now

Thanks all I’ve been thinking about it and I’m gonna close it, I do get all the reasons people have given and the ideas of saving it etc but it’s just such an insult and I hate the thought that he thinks he “pays” when it’s so little. I think it would be better for my MH to let it go.

You can’t! I tried to once, they wouldn't let me! Even though it was me who had started it originally

My ex has a 'nil' assessment. I'm still not closing the case. That way I can prove to the DC (should they ever question it) that I did everything I could.

You definitely can

I’ve got the letters if ever needed

…

I get £7 a week from ex . Hasn’t worked in 15 years .

he doesn’t see Ds . I think 2 things - firstly if he chose not to get a job rather than support his Ds then he has made himself suffer .
i also will find out if he does .

Mil pays it some months as he obviously does have £30 to support his Dc .

But he can then prove that you chose to close the case. He could claim he was paying and then you stopped him.

Honestly. There's enough men in this country not paying. Why would you allow your ex to be one of them?

I doubt my kids are going to be crying that I didn’t claim the £6 for them he was ordered to pay are they? It’s hardly the difference between a nice comfortable life and poverty

There are apparently 12 types of debt that take priority over feeding your children.

Someone I knew through a school I worked in donated the paltry amount her ex paid to a charity she knew he detested.

she didn’t want it as she felt it was an insult, but she enjoyed the fact he hated that she donated it. He actually complained to CMS when she told him (he was being smug and asked what she’d spend it on, knowing he’d fiddled his books, so she told him) and was livid there was nothing they could/would do.

I love this!

Ha love that 🤣

Don’t cancel it. I receive a pittance currently (DD is 12, no contact for 4 years), which is deducted from either benefits or pay check either/or over the years, have also very often received nothing for years at a time. I had to argue to prevent the old debt he racked up with then CMA from being written off. They upheld my claim and took it to court. Then a second court date for what he owed under now CMS. He's now had both debts legally put under his name (Thousands) and even if they can't get it back, it's the principle of it. I’m glad it will have done his credit rating damage. As for the pittance I receive now, I put it into a savings account. It still adds up, better than nothing. It'll more than likely stop again at any given time but at least those bits are put away for DD.

Keep it open - he could win the lotto!

You seem determined to close it no matter what anyone says.

How about giving it to a charity that your kids choose?

Unless you are the mother and then you have to pay all of them AND support your child. Its a total joke.

It's nice that you are so well off that you have the option of turning down money. For some people, that £6 is the difference between them being able to eat or not.
It's not your money to turn down! It is to provide for your children. If you don't need it to support them currently, then put it away for them to spend as they wish when they are older.

I wouldn’t be entitled to that, it’s money he has earned.

Sorry this is a joke right? I’m “so well off” that £6 doesn’t scratch the service of raising children? I guess I should be grateful for his £6.72 😏

Buy six scratch cards every week. And let him know.
Absolutely do not give it up.

Obviously unlikely that he will, but if he did the interest on his money would count as unearned income and can be counted for CMS (like rental income and the likes) in a variation.