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Applications from children
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, only a parent, grandparent or guardian of the child can apply for child maintenance. However, in Scotland, some young people can apply for child maintenance if nobody else is receiving child maintenance payments for them.
A child living in Scotland can apply for child maintenance if:
- they are aged between 12 and 19 and are in full-time education (up to Higher and Advanced Higher)
- they live apart from one or both of their parents, and
- the parent (or parents) they don't live with have their home in Scotland, England, Wales or Northern Ireland (the UK). Or they live abroad but work for an employer with a business in the UK.
When can't a child living in Scotland apply?
They cannot apply for child maintenance if someone has already applied for them. The person who has applied could be:
- one of their parents
- the person they live with
- an older brother or sister.
Other situations where they cannot apply for child maintenance are if their parents have:
- a written maintenance agreement
- a Minute of Agreement
- a maintenance order in force.
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