Child maintainance treated as income in the absence of child benefit?

Hi all,

Can anyone advise about the above. The claimant is a mother of a one child. The claimant’s child is about to turn 17 and receives ESA, the child is also in receipt of DLA at higher rate care and low rate mob. The claimant works and satisfies the criteria for Carer’s Allowance, she also received Child Maintenance payments from her estranged partner in lieu of the child. In order to claim for income, I am trying to establish if child maintenance is taken into account for the purposes of calculating Income support in the absence of child benefit (as the child is on ESA and therefore child benefit is not payable).

I would be grateful if anyone could give me a steer.

many thanks

Douglas G.