CSA

I wonder if anyone can help. If there is a court order in place for CM and then you go to the CSA to vary this down, do you stop paying the ex as soon as you apply and leave it to the CSA to sort out or continue paying until told to do so by the CSA. Also, up to what age do you have to pay for the children through the CSA, is it 18 or 19.

Hi Ding,

You can apply to the CSA 1 year and 1 day after the court order.

Once applied, they will take into consideration your payments you make as voluntary or will backdate payments (to the date applied to the CSA)if you stop paying.

The CSA has some info re. when you can cease payments of CM .......

www.csa.gov.uk/en/case/leaving-education.asp

If you haven't already, you can calculate what you should be paying:

secureonline.dwp.gov.uk/csa/v2/en/calculate-maintenance.asp

WR

Is this a Consent Order or a contested order imposed before March 2003?

When there is a consent order for child maintenance in place liability for payments continues for two months until the CSA have informed the court and the order ceases to have any effect.

The CSA doesn't have jurisdiction when orders predate March 2003.

Currently under the CSA child support may be due until the "child" reaches 19 if they are completing a non advanced (A Level standard or less) course. However, the law has changed raising the age to 20 to align with Child Benefit. The change is due to be implemented at the end of 2010 or next year.

Thanks Fiona, you seem very well informed so I wonder if you'd know, if the children go away to university at 18, will the child benenfit still be paid to the PWC and hence CM still have to be paid by NRP even though the children aren't living at home any longer.
thanks

What are the exact terms of the court order and when was it made?

As far as CSA rules are concerned child support ends when the "child" enters higher education ie university. The courts have jurisdiction over child maintenance for over 18s in education.

Thanks, was just a bit worried when you said the law was changing and CM would have to be paid until 20 years old. The court order was made Feb 2009 and states CM to be paid until the children reach 18. My partner pays twice for the children now anyway and will obviously financially support his children through further education, but can't be paying his ex the money that needs to go to the children, that is why we were worried.