csa - fathers now may have to pay until child is 20

[callan]

http://www.separateddads.co.uk/what-age-do-child-maintenance-payments-stop.html

I'm all for Dads paying for their kids but until the age of 20 seems extreme.

 

[OldBlueLady]

http://www.separateddads.co.uk/what-age-do-child-maintenance-payments-stop.html

I'm all for Dads paying for their kids but until the age of 20 seems extreme.

Really? I'm all for it - if needs dictate. My divorce went through with my 18 year old son, in low paid part time employment, depressed and troubled, and receiving not a penny support, and my daughter's support getting cut off on her 18th birthday which was before she left school. Neither has yet found full time work and neither is able to pay me any rent. All the while, Mr Bountiful swans about flashing some cash at odd times during the year but makes not a penny contribution to their keep.

 

[callan]

Really? I'm all for it - if needs dictate. My divorce went through with my 18 year old son, in low paid part time employment, depressed and troubled, and receiving not a penny support, and my daughter's support getting cut off on her 18th birthday which was before she left school. Neither has yet found full time work and neither is able to pay me any rent. All the while, Mr Bountiful swans about flashing some cash at odd times during the year but makes not a penny contribution to their keep.

So what age should they have to fend for themselves?

 

[OldBlueLady]

So what age should they have to fend for themselves?

Depends what you mean by "fend for themselves", in the current climate, it's increasingly difficult for them to do so. Moving into their own homes seems farther and farther away. Of course they both want to find full time work, and both are doing additional studying to improve their employability but at the moment, it's not an option...and there's no help financially.

Why should I bear the sole responsibility of supporting them because they live with me?

 

[beemamad]

For my mind there is no hard and fast rule for length of maintenance payments. We need a system that can actually examine each case as an independent one rather than trying to group them under one umbrella.
If a certain case dictates that payments NEED to be made until 20 years old then so be it - some kids are employed almost as soon as they leave full time education, others arent so lucky...

 

[Hotman]

The CSA is just a part of a biased system. I'm all for paying for kids - but should be flat rate per child IMO (maybe £300 per month?). Some on here know the amount I pay every month in maintenance, probably bigger than some 3rd world countries GDP, whereas others get away with paying a fiver a week. And don't even get me started on contact rights...

 

[OldBlueLady]

For my mind there is no hard and fast rule for length of maintenance payments. We need a system that can actually examine each case as an independent one rather than trying to group them under one umbrella.
If a certain case dictates that payments NEED to be made until 20 years old then so be it - some kids are employed almost as soon as they leave full time education, others arent so lucky...

Exactly. To my mind it was totally wrong that my daughter's maintenance stopped on her 18th birthday rather than at the end of her full time education anyway. Whether there should have been a moral right that her father continued for the extra 2 months till she finished is beside the point, as I already knew that morals were not a strength of his.

She was diagnosed with ME in her 1st year of A-levels so I always knew it was unlikely she would achieve the levels she wanted, to do what she wanted which is why I have paid out for her to continue to study Sage while she works part-time. It's all stuff like that, everything has come down on me (and my new husband). Her dad allowed her to access her savings at 17 to buy a car, no regard as to how it was going to be run, maintained or insured (we stumped up for that) and then, on top of that, has "loaned" her £2k to replace that car without having got rid of the first one, so we're now stuck with a car that she has no interest in, and trying to sell it! I know that's got nothing to do with maintenance but it helps to illustrate the calibre of person I'm bemoaning and allows me to get it off my chest!

 

[OldBlueLady]

The CSA is just a part of a biased system. I'm all for paying for kids - but should be flat rate per child IMO (maybe £300 per month?). Some on here know the amount I pay every month in maintenance, probably bigger than some 3rd world countries GDP, whereas others get away with paying a fiver a week. And don't even get me started on contact rights...

I'm not sure about "flat rates" but I do think it needs regulating more fairly. Makes my blood boil to see all these feckless sorts on stuff like Jeremy Kyle who have fathered loads, live off benefits but do drugs and are covered in tattoos (all of which cost money). Make them actually work at something to increase what they pay, even if it's things like litter picking!

 

[Firestorm]

Parents have to pay for their kids, its hardly ground breaking.
To me the more worrying thing is that we have to have a government backed unit in place to make sure that happens.

I have not read the article, but is it fathers only who will have to pay ? or does it apply in the cases of deserting mothers too ?

 

[Davros]

If only they issued refunds

 

[Mad Cyril]

So what age should they have to fend for themselves?

The child of today needs to be an army of one because it is a jungle out there.

Some people think it is odd that my daughter has a disruptive patter camouflage duvet cover but she understands.

 

[Smudger]

Parents have to pay for their kids, its hardly ground breaking.
To me the more worrying thing is that we have to have a government backed unit in place to make sure that happens.

I have not read the article, but is it fathers only who will have to pay ? or does it apply in the cases of deserting mothers too ?

Good point. I have known several cases where the mother has upped and left - nobody expects them to put their hand in their pocket.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Good point. I have known several cases where the mother has upped and left - nobody expects them to put their hand in their pocket.

They should do though. Having kids should be a joint responsibility, whether the kids are left residing with their mum or their dad, the "absent" parent should contribute to their keep. I know when my former mother in law left my former father in law, way back in the early 80s, with 3 kids of 17, 15 and 13, she had to pay maintenance out of her lowly wages as a hospital orderly.

 

[Pubey]

Exactly. To my mind it was totally wrong that my daughter's maintenance stopped on her 18th birthday rather than at the end of her full time education anyway. Whether there should have been a moral right that her father continued for the extra 2 months till she finished is beside the point, as I already knew that morals were not a strength of his.

She was diagnosed with ME in her 1st year of A-levels so I always knew it was unlikely she would achieve the levels she wanted, to do what she wanted which is why I have paid out for her to continue to study Sage while she works part-time. It's all stuff like that, everything has come down on me (and my new husband). Her dad allowed her to access her savings at 17 to buy a car, no regard as to how it was going to be run, maintained or insured (we stumped up for that) and then, on top of that, has "loaned" her £2k to replace that car without having got rid of the first one, so we're now stuck with a car that she has no interest in, and trying to sell it! I know that's got nothing to do with maintenance but it helps to illustrate the calibre of person I'm bemoaning and allows me to get it off my chest!

Is it really fair to put her personal info all over the internet.

I'd be mortified if my mum was doing that.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Is it really fair to put her personal info all over the internet.

I'd be mortified if my mum was doing that.

SZ is hardly "all over the internet" is it?

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

My oldest two are 21 and 23 and i will be paying for them til the day i die.