Child Maintenance Arrears

[Bristolianchick]

My Father walked out on my Mum when she told him she was pregant with me. She filed for devorce and he has never had anything to do with my family since. I have recently found out that he has never paid my Mum a single penny for my "Maintenance". I am now 23 and both me and my Mum are struggling in the current financial climate, can I claim the money he should of paid my Mum?

[bednobs]

firstly, you may need to ask yourself why your mum never pursued this when you were growing up. Secondly, you need to cnsider the consequences of getting in touch with your dad (assuming you can) do you really want to let this loser into your life? soeone who didn't even want to meet you?
Thirdly, i dont know if what you are suggesting can be done (although something is telling me it can't), but anyway the mony would have been due to your mum, not you. Does she want to stir it all up?

[Bristolianchick]

Thank you both for your responses.

Bednobs - Mum never pursued this as she didn't want him to be able to swan back into our lives a few years later. As you can imagine after getting pregant (which is what he wanted) and then being ditched, the divorce was traumatic enough. After many years I have come to terms with the fact this man is a loser, if letting him back into our lives for a short time is what I need to do then so be it. I have no intention of starting a relationship with this man. As you have mentioned the money would be due to my Mum and it is my Mum who would put in the claim.

Eddie51 - It's a shame there is more than one knob running around causing this pain.

I am going to contact a solicitor and see if I can take this any further. But if anyone has any further advice that would be much apricated.

[tamborine]

Your mother released the father from maintenance costs and at 23 you are to old to claim. If your mother received DSS monies they would be keen to re-claim their exes, if his address is revealed.

You've managed without and he wont fill your empty purse now. Be civil till you know your father better, then out-smart him!

My neice was neglected similarly - father only interested when she had sons (that he never had). The g'sons bleed him un-mercifully ;)

[jcamacd]

Are you a student? if you are you are entitled to take hin to court for maintenance payments. Your mother may have had to claim throught the Child Support Agency if she claimed Income Support. If she did and an assessment for maintenance was made any unpaid maintenance can still be pursued through the courts. The CSA have been very successful recently at forcing these debtors to pay the money owed or face losing their homes as the CSA have pursued them through the courts and orders for sale have been awarded. In one recent case the non resident parent paid £70,000 to stop his home from being sold. This does not mean that the non resident parent has any rites to see the child and he or she will never be given any details of where the resident parent or the child lives.
In a case where the resident parent was on benefit the money paid to them for the child's care may be payable to the Secretary of State as the child maintenance part of the income support was paid by the tax payer and is recoverable to compensate the tax payer for money the non resident parent should have paid. any money due that is over the income support rates for a child is payable to the parent with care on behalf of the child. It doesn't matter how old that child is now, the non resident parent will be expectred to pay any debt owed.

[Bristolianchick]

Thanks for your replies. I think this is worth looking into. Even if Me/Mum aren't entitled to anything, the CSA would be interested in where he is.
Thanks again, as before if anyone has any further advice it is much appricated.