Uni payments

[Mulcahy75]

Hi my hb stopped paying for his daughter at 18 after she completed a levels at college, now he's been told she's doing more a levels at uni does he have to start up payments again?

You're getting a hard time here OP but if you can't afford to continue to contribute then don't.

She's an adult at 18 and she can get a job like the thousands of other Uni students who work and study at the same time.

I think it's very telling you cut off your Dad when you weren't getting money from him anymore.

Poor man.

As o I currently have one child at uni and another starting in September I know that if you budget maximum loan is plenty to live on in most cities if the young person also works in the holidays.

Ds’s friend is also on maximum loans. His single parent cannot afford to contribute anything and he manages fine.

In Ireland court orders generally state that maintenance has to be paid until child is 23 if in full time education.

DS has several friends at uni whose parents (who are still together, not separated or divorced) are not helping them out financially because they cannot afford to.

Step parent income absolutely IS taken into account if the young person lives with them. (In England)

the maintenance loan (not grant) is based on the household income of the resident parent including any step parent whether or not they are married.

I think it's very telling you cut off your Dad when you weren't getting money from him anymore.
Poor man.

Firstly, read my post. I didn't cut him off.

Secondly, poor man. Really?

He had an affair and left my mum for the OW. He fiddled his self employed income so he had didn't have to pay my mum any maintenance. His own dad was so embarrassed by this that he gave my mum money so we could afford to eat.
When I was between the ages 16-18 he started paying £60 a month maintenance for two school aged children.
When I went to uni he told me he'd give me my share of the maintenance to help with living costs. He went home and told his girlfriend this and she told him he wasn't allowed. So he didn't.
He's never given me a penny.
Lives in a million pound house which his step children will inherit apparently.

So yeah, poor man indeed 🙄

No it's his responsibility to afford to pay for his child.

Yep - it’s not unusual, but woe betide a separated Dad who can’t find the money

If he can’t afford it, he can’t afford it. What is he meant to do?

Exh pays nothing for DS despite being in a really good salary. Their relationship has drifted and they no longer have any contact at all (it was always sporadic at his dad's choice).

I think the lack of birthday card in his first year was the final straw.

If you can pay anything you should. I am broke but I still buy extra food to make a food parcel, give him anything I get from tutoring.

So why did you come on here asking for advice!

Do they have a home to go to in the holidays? I think there's a difference between funding university for a child and paying zero towards any aspect of their life- ie a home, any bills, food etc.

Stepparent income is taken into account as its household income, not resident parent income

My dad did this called me on my 18th and said I won't be paying any more money to your mum now. He had a new family and two new children. I actually ended up with severe depression and anxiety because of it. I think it's pathetic tbh. And it's nothing to do with you ! He had a new woman in his ear too 🙄 why some men are so pathetic and don't put their kids first 18 or not I will never know

It’s likely she’s doing a foundation course at a university which is A Level equivalent. It’s quite usual.

I don’t think he legally has to pay, but morally, he should be contributing while she is still in education.

Firstly, education wise:
It is possible she could be doing a foundation course at Uni AND A levels. For instance, she wants to get into Medicine, doing it via foundation access but she needs to do biology A levels.

Maintenance continues until the child is 20 and they are doing an A level. It can be 3 years of A levels.

Whether doing a Uni course at the same time cancels this entitlement, I don't know.

As for supporting his daughter morally, OP has said that her OH has no contact with her. There is clearly a back story and he and OP probably don't want to pay for a daughter they don't see and maybe don't even like.

OP your partner needs to talk directly to his daughter to understand what course she is doing.

As an teen and particularly an adult one she needs to be able to have a conversation with him to explain what she is doing and what her plans are.

As she clearly lives in her mum's household it isn't for you to support her but her father.

No-one can give you specific advice because your post is vague.

The thing is as parents, irrespective of if she is in education or not, you do not stop helping them out or giving them treats. These do not need to huge a tenner for a coffee out, money towards a trip, a small food shop, a bar of favourite chocolate. She will appreciate this even if your dh can no longer afford monthly money. He needs to talk to her now she is 18 and support her as he can.

Exactly what my DD will be doing.

It is possible she could be doing a foundation course at Uni AND A levels. For instance, she wants to get into Medicine, doing it via foundation access but she needs to do biology A levels.

Foundation courses and Access courses are two very different things. They are funded differently. You can do an A level alongside an Access course but it could be at a local FE college, not a university. A university Foundation Year is higher education and you would not be able to study for an A level alongside it.

The onlt rare exception to this would be at one of only four elite dance schools/colleges in the UK where you can study A levels alongside a Level 6 diploma.

Isn’t it the case the maintenance is only due if the student is studying an A-Level equivalent course full time? So she could be doing a full time degree and an A-Level at the same time but that’d be irrelevant for maintenance purposes?

I'm not 100% sure on that but you only get child benefit if the child is (aged under 19) and studying A levels full time so I would assume it might be the same.

I was able to get child benefit for my daughter when she studied for 2 A levels alongside a higher level 6 diploma, but I would not have got it had she only studied for one.

I always knew if I went to uni I'd have to fund it myself, my separated parents were poor. I got maximum loan, worked before and during holidays. It is not awful not to help, what's awful is the lack of expectations. I KNEW my parents couldn't support me and at times when they could, would choose not to. University is decision you make as an adult. If they would have said we will send X a month then didn't that would be pulling the rug from underneath and be awful. Unless something massively changes, my children will know they'll need to support themselves. I knew my reality before I went. Did your dh say he'd support her and now she's found herself in a rubbish position?
A levels are not studied at university. That being said, a local college to me does have uni level courses within it so I do wonder if there's some confusion and the daughter is doing a levels. It is easy enough for dh to ring and check if she is enrolled.