Changes to Child Benefit - Impact to CSA calc?

Hi Folks,

OK I have question - I may have got the wrong end of stick here, but I can't find the answer.

When it comes to calculating Child Support, the CSA documentation defines ‘a relevant other child’ as ‘a child for whom a non-resident parent or their partner receive child benefit’.

When the changes to Child Benefit kick in next year, what happens to the calculation?

Do 'relevant other children' of anyone paying high rate tax suddenly become irrelevant?

Does anyone know the definitive answer - as 'Child maintenance Options', 'CSA' and 'Child Benefit Advice Line' haven't a clue when I spoke to them.

I had a hunt around on the forum and can't find any threads, and hopefully this isn't a can of worms - but I can't find an answer.

Would imagine that they will simply change the definition again. It always used to be just that you had a child living with you.

Don't worry, bad as the CSA are, the child wont become irrelevant overnight.

Thanks. The CSA are consulting on the new 2012 regulations at the moment and in the equalities impact assessment to that it still makes reference to relevant other child being defined with reference to child benefit. Seems a but worrying that they aren't redefining it in a current consultation document which is why I was concerned it is an oversight

CSA have never managed to change pre 2003 cases onto 2003 rules despite it now being 2012!

My understanding is if neither parent or the parent with the majority of care isn't eligible for Child Benefit it would be deemed a special case.

Currently the presumption in the first instance is the person in receipt of CB is the parent with care but in special cases the CSA can determine who is PWC. I think I posted a link to the relevant regulations sometime towards the end of last week.

There is something similar in the draft regulations (perhaps somewhere around number 50-60 if memory serves me well).

I are not parents with care for children who maimtenance is paid for. I live with my new partner and she has a disabled son from her previous marriage. My new partner doesn't work due to her son's disability but in 2013 she will lose child benefit for him as I am a high rate taxpayer. Our concern is that at present the maimtenance I pay to my children from my previous relationship attracts a reduction due to my partner's son living with me as my parner currently gets child benefit for him. We are concerned that when we lose child benefit for my partner's child who is resident with us that child maintenance will go up as the deduction will no longer apply

I think the OP was a NRP who gets a deduction as they have a relevant child living in their new household. The fact that CB is claimed offers some proof that they are living there but was never a requirement in the past.

Where there is a dispute between separated parents as to who is the PWC and who is NRP the CSA have taken the stance that the PWC is the one to whom CB is paid. I'm not sure this is actually written into the regulations though, it wasn't originally.