Child maintenance is regular financial support for the cost of raising your child and is one of the most important things to agree on for parents going through a divorce or separation.
For parents going through a divorce or separation, one of the most important things to arrange is how you and your ex partner are going to share the costs of raising your children, now that you are parenting apart. Child maintenance is regular financial support for the cost of raising your child. It should normally be paid by your child’s other parent if you’re no longer together and either your child doesn’t live with them or spends more time living with you.
If you can’t agree the terms for child maintenance with the child’s other parent, you can try mediation or ask the Child Maintenance Service (formerly the Child Support Agency or CSA), or the courts to get involved.
Arranging child maintenance
Full details of Child Maintenance including eligibilty, how to apply, payments and disagreements can be found at GOV.UK.
Further details are available following links:
For more information on making child arrangements if you divorce or separate click on this link.
Use this calculator to agree on a child maintenance amount if you’re arranging it yourselves, or to get an idea of the statutory amount the government would work out for you.
Manage your child maintenance case online
You can manage your child maintenance case online at this link.
Gingerbread
Gingerbread is a registered charity (England and Wales) which provides advice, practical support and campaigns for single parent families.
To contact Gingerbread follow this link or for details of their free, confidential helpline click here.
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