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Opting out of the CSA
There are lots of different ways you can arrange to pay or receive child maintenance. In fact, if you are not receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and both parents can come to an agreement, you don’t have to involve lawyers or even go through us. You may want to speak to us, a family-law solicitor or an independent adviser before setting up a private arrangement. You can find out more about making a private arrangement.
What happens if a parent with care is getting benefits and does not want to apply for child maintenance?
If you are the parent with care and receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and you believe that applying for child maintenance would put you or your children at risk of harm or distress, you can ask us not to contact the non-resident parent. This is called ‘opting out’.
In these circumstances, you must tell us your reasons for opting out. If we accept your reasons, this is called having ‘good cause’ for us not to contact the non-resident parent.
If you cannot give us a good reason, but still don’t want us to contact the non-resident parent, Jobcentre Plus can reduce the amount of benefit you get. You will also not be entitled to the child maintenance premium because we will not be able to collect any child maintenance payments.
To find out more about the circumstances in which benefits would be reduced talk to your Jobcentre Plus adviser.
Page topRelated information
- Read our leaflet
"How do I get child maintenance if I'm on benefits?" [PDF 666Kb]
