Child Maintenance for people without an NI 

 

It is possible, even though when you call they say its not, there’s a non NI paper system where they can send you 

 

To start the claim call: 

 

Child Maintenance Options 

Telephone: 0800 0835 130 

Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm 

Saturdays, 9am to 4pm

 

https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance/how-to-apply

 

They’ll talk with you about arrangement options. If you decide to use the Child Maintenance Service, they’ll give you a reference number and explain how to apply.

 

If you apply to the Child Maintenance Service

 

You’ll need to give information about you and your family, for example:

• • details about the child you’re applying for - including the full names of their mother and father

  • your National Insurance number

  • your bank account details, if the Child Maintenance Service needs to collect and pass on payments

 

Fees

The application fee is £20.

You will not have to pay this if:

• • you’re a victim of domestic violence or 

  • under 19 years of age, 

  • or in Northern Ireland.

    

Call 0800 171 2345 with your application reference number to make an application, best to call Tues, Wed or Thurs morning- it gets busier the later  you call. You will need a bank account, but can use a friend if needed. Tell them if your a victim of DV at the start of the call.

 

When we called firstly we were told there was no paper based application, and mum must have an NI. They checked with the manager and restated this alleged fact. 

 

I called back and spoke to another worker, who also said you cannot make an application without an NI, asking her to check with the manager she advised to call the exceptional case handling team, 0800 232 1938, who have a clerical database, but they can only take a progressed application, they cannot start it, advised to get an NI from the Home Office. 

 

Calling the exceptional case funding team, we were advised that the initial team (0800 171 2345) must take the application as normal, they won’t be able to verify identity, but they need to raise the incident to the ECH gateway, its a policy decision that needs to be done paper based, but legally they must process these applications. 

 

Questions they ask as part of the application include: 

 

• Type of visa your here on

• Date you arrived in the UK

• How long can you stay  / what’s time of your leave to remain

• What type of housing are you in

• Are you working

• Are you registered with a GP

• UK bank account

• Did you apply for an NI and get refused, we said not possible to get an NI, rather than it was refused

• Phone number 

 

Then it moves to the next stage - they then sent papers for signing to mums house, and we are waiting for the support from dad to start.