Child maintainance and kid's at Uni

[mizfiesta]

My 18 year old daughter has recently begun a University course. Up until now my ex husband has paid me maintainance payments directly on a weekly basis. This has stopped now she has started this course. I must admit to feeling quite good about this as it meant I was no longer having to take his money which I always felt he grudged paying me anyway. even if it did mean I was slightly worse off financially.

As I only work part time and can't afford to support my daughter, unfortunately I will have to take a small weekly amount of 'dig' money from her. She will receive a bursary due to my low income and can pay it from that. I do feel bad taking anything from her at all to be honest.
My query is - does her Dad still have a legal requirement to support my daughter financially, albeit he gives any monies to my daughter and not me? This would help my daughter enormously and mean that I was out of the equation by not taking anything from him. Advice appreciated.

[woofgang]

I think it depends on the agreement at divorce but I understand that what is "usual" is until 18 or the end of full time education. What did you agree?

[237SJ]

I`m no expert but I thought a father had to support a child until they left full time education. Maybe you`ll get someone`s reply who knows more about it than me but i thought that was the rule

[hc4361]

No, he doesn't.

"However, 16 is the minimum age where child maintenance can stop. Between the ages of 16 and 19, if the child is enrolled full-time in school (more than 12 hours per week and the course is up to and including A level), child maintenance for the child must be paid. This does not apply to advanced study, like study at a college or university, this only includes non-advanced study."

http://www.sfla.co.uk/endmaintenance.htm

[cassa333]

Was the maintenance payments declaired as your income? Was the bursery she receives based on just your income or the extra you were getting from your ex?

[mizfiesta]

My daughter's bursary claim only takes into account the resident parent's income (mine). It doesn't ask about the non resident parents (her Dad). The form doesn't ask about maintainance payments either. Though I don't receive any now anyway.

[mizfiesta]

HC4361, the article you provided a link for doesn't cover children who go to University? I'm sure there is extra provision for this.