Child Support Agency

[Tryinghard69]

Hello

I was wondering if anyone had ever tried to obtain Child Maintenance from the child's birth parents? We have a SGO for our niece but are considered to be a high income family so have not ever received financial support from the local authority. Additionally, as I earn above the child benefit tax threshold, we also do not receive any child benefit for our SGO niece nor any of our other 3 children. So despite a relatively well paid job, we still find the finances of an extra (unexpected) child difficult.

Having looked into it, it seems that under a SGO a child's birth parents remain financially responsible for that child (unlike adoption), and therefore an application to the birth parents can be made for child maintenance. I have phoned the Child Maintenance Agency and they have confirmed that as long as you are in registered for child benefit for a child who is not your biological child and they live with your for the majority of the time then you can indeed get the birth parents to pay child maintenance. As both birth parents are on benefits it seems we would only receive a maximum of £7 per week (minus deductions from the Child Support Agency) from each parent so that would mean £14 per week. This may not seem a lot but it would help to pay towards school trips, school uniform, etc etc.

Has anybody else done this and if so was it straightforward?

Thanks

[Tryinghard69]

Thanks for the reply. I have been told I will get £7 per week from each parent. It won't affect any allowances I don't get a single penny of allowance from anyone!

I can't ask the parents for anything directly as we have no contact with them and our address is secret from them.

[Tryinghard69]

Just to let anyone who is interested know that we applied to the Child Support Agency and very quickly got a response saying we would be receiving the statutory minimum from both parents (both are on state benefits) of £7 per week starting from the date we first made the claim. We do not receive any money at all from the local authority, do not receive child benefit (as my salary is above the threshold) or any other benefits at all for bringing up someone else's child, so £7 per week is at least something. Ironically we would receive more if one or both the parents died.....