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Which benefit exempts you from paying Child Support?
I have a client who was receiving maintenance payments via CSA from her ex-husband’s JSA. These payments have now ceased and when she has contacted CSA to query this, they have told her it is because the ex-husband no longer claims JSA and the benefit he does claim, cannot be deducted from for any type of maintenance payment.
I’m just wondering if anyone has heard of this and has any idea to which benefit this may relate?
I thought it may be either a disability related benefit eg DLA or PIP - or possibly even Industrial Injuries; or whether he has moved onto a joint claim in which he isn’t the main claimant and therefore the deduction cannot be made; whilst I appreciate the CSA are unable to disclose this type of information it is incredibly frustrating for my client not knowing what is going on and to have a reduction in income in this way.
The new rules for maintenance assessments were inserted into the Child Support Act 1991 by s1 of the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 and the way that maintenance is to be calculated is found at schedule 1 of the 2000 Act which was also inserted into the 1991 Act by virtue of s1(3).
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/19/contents
For a brief overview including the list of the relevant benefits and the up to date figures see the link below.