What happens to Child Maintenance when my child is 16+?

Last updated: 27/02/2025

Parents have a legal duty to financially support their child. Child Maintenance can be arranged in 3 ways – directly with the parent who pays, through the Child Maintenance Service or through the Scottish courts. Find out what happens to Child Maintenance when your child turns 16.

Child maintenance stops on 31 August on or after your child’s 16th birthday if they leave education or training. It can continue until your child turns 20 if they stay in approved education or training. More information about approved education and training.

You are entitled to receive child maintenance payments for a child while you are receiving Child Benefit for them. The Child Maintenance Service can help you arrange child maintenance payments for children up to, and including, 19 years old, if you still get Child Benefit for them.

Your child’s other parent can continue to pay Child Maintenance voluntarily, or by a court agreement, to you or your child after Child Benefit has stopped but it cannot be arranged through the Child Maintenance Service.

Child maintenance is linked to Child Benefit. This means that if there are any changes to your child’s education or training, you need to tell HMRC, not the Child Maintenance Service.

 

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