Converting old scheme casesQ. When was the current child maintenance scheme introduced?
A. The current child maintenance scheme was introduced on 3 March 2003.
Q. Can clients ask for their case to be moved to the current child maintenance scheme?
A. No. It is not possible to transfer to the current scheme, the only reason people may convert is if they are also involved in a new case.
For example, if a mother already receives child maintenance for one child, and she make a new application (on or after 3 March 2003) for another child who has a different father, we will move the first child maintenance case so that both cases are set up on the current scheme.
Another example might be a man with a Statutory Maintenance Service (SMS) case then fathers a child to another woman who also then opens a SMS case. This would change the first case as it is linked to the new application.
(Another, less frequent example is if a parent with care asks us to close their case, then they re-apply for maintenance after a period of 13 weeks.)
Q. Will a non-resident parent pay less if their case is on the current scheme?
A. The amount of child maintenance a non-resident parent has to pay depends on their individual circumststances. If a case does change to the current scheme the amount of child maintenance may be more or less.
Q. How do parents know if their case is changing?
A. All clients will be notified directly of any changes which will affect their case.
Q. If a case changes will parents have to fill in all the forms again?
A. We will not ask clients for more information unless we have to, and we will work out the amount based on the information we have. However, if their circumstances have changed since the previous calculation, they should tell us so that we can base the new calculation on the most up-to-date information possible.
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