What is child maintenance?

Put simply, child maintenance is an arrangement where the parent who doesn’t have the main care of the child contributes to his or her living costs. This is because both parents are financially responsible for the child, even if you’re no longer in a relationship.

A typical arrangement involves regular payments – i.e. every month.  The amount these payments are set at is decided after dividing up the financial responsibility for the child’s living costs between you. How this is done can sometimes cause disagreement, but there are lots of options to help you come to a fair arrangement that works for everyone.

What does it cover?

Child maintenance is designed to cover the essential care and living costs for your child as they grow up. It typically includes things such as food, housing and clothing, although it doesn’t cover school fees, the cost of school trips, holidays, toys, hobbies or other non-essential costs.

Child maintenance arrangements are also nothing to do with access or custody of children following divorce. This is arranged separately, although where the child typically sleeps overnight can affect how much maintenance the other parent pays.

How is a child maintenance arrangement decided?

There are two main ways that child maintenance arrangements can be decided:

·         You can make your own arrangements. If you and your former spouse can agree a child maintenance plan between yourselves, no one else has to be involved. You can make a private arrangement, either fixed or flexible, and include plans for school pickups, care for the child during the holidays and other matters. There’s even an online child maintenance calculator you can use to work out how to divide living costs fairly, as well as advice on how to set up regular payments.

·         You can use the Child Maintenance Service (CMS). This is a government scheme designed for parents who can’t agree on a private plan for sharing their child’s living costs. The service calculates the amounts and sets a schedule for regular payments, as well as taking action if a payment is late or missed. The CMS can also help to find an absent parent and sort out disagreements over maintenance payments. It’s important to note though that the CMS charges a fee for every payment, so it could be cheaper to work things out yourself if possible. 

Your options if you can’t agree

It can sometimes be difficult to agree on a fair plan for child maintenance. If you and your ex-partner are struggling to negotiate or communication has broken down, you can use a local mediator to help you find a resolution.  If you still can’t agree, the CMS is the next option to try.

Need more information about child maintenance? Get in touch with Wirral divorce lawyer Tracey Miller Family Law for advice and support, to help you find the best possible resolution for your family.