What is the meaning of child maintenance?

Child maintenance is an arrangement between you and the other parent of your child. It covers how your child’s living costs will be paid for when one of the parents no longer lives with them. Both parents are responsible for the costs of raising their children, even if they do not see them.

What is child maintenance supposed to be used for?

Child maintenance covers the cost of the everyday care of the child, such as food, clothes and housing. Expenses such as school fees do not fall under child maintenance – parents who are getting a divorce can make a “Family Based Arrangement” to deal with costs like this.

What does it mean to pay for Child Maintenance?

Child maintenance is usually the amount the parent who isn’t the day-to-day carer of the child pays to the main carer of the child towards the cost of looking after said child. Therefore, child maintenance is used to cover some of a child’s everyday living costs.

Why was the Child Maintenance Service brought about?

Who is the Child Maintenance Service? The Child Maintenance Service was brought about by the government to replace the Child Support Agency, which the government itself described as “failing to deliver for both parents and children”.

Can a child claim maintenance in the capacity of a parent?

In case of claim of maintenance in the capacity of a child, legitimate or illegitimate minor children, whether married or not, they can claim maintenance, if they are unable to maintain themselves.

How does child maintenance work for shared care?

If the child in question stays overnight with the parent who is due to pay the child maintenance, the Child Maintenance Service can make a deduction on the above amount to reflect this. This will be based on the average number of what are known as ‘shared care’ nights per week. The amount of child maintenance due is reviewed on a yearly basis.

Who is responsible for the maintenance of a child?

For more information see Children and the law: parental responsibility. Non-resident parent /paying parent – The parent who does not have day-to-day care of the child and pays child maintenance to the resident/receiving parent.

How is Child Maintenance calculated by the government?

What is child maintenance used for? As per the government’s website, there are 6 ‘steps’ that the Child Maintenance Service normally follows to calculate the amount of child maintenance that should be paid every week by the ‘paying parent’ to the ‘receiving parent’ (the parent who has the main “day-to day care of the child”).

When does a parent stop paying child maintenance?

The paying parent is normally expected to pay child maintenance up until the child turns 16, or 20 if they’re still in school or college doing A-levels, highers or something equivalent. There are some cases when it may stop earlier, for example, if one parent dies. How can I reduce the child maintenance amount that I’m paying?

Do you need to register with Child Maintenance Service?

Sign in if you are a parent, grandparent or other guardian who has an existing case with the Child Maintenance Service. You do not need to register to manage your case online. If your case is based in Northern Ireland, sign in here. Sign in if you are an employer who pays your employees’ child maintenance through their earnings.