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Hi All... I pay the state required maintenance amount for 2 children which is £576 a month. We share custody but they are resident at their Mums house for a larger proportion of the time. My ex partner is now requesting that I share the costs of school uniform, passports and birthday parties on top of that (without consultation of when those purchases are made and how much). Do you feel this is fair? All her housing and childcare costs are paid by the state. In my view these types of additional costs she is requesting should be covered by the monthly maintenance? Government websites are not explicit. I have said I want to make it clear what the maintenance is covering.
Hi there
If you pay through the CMS then the amount they calculate covers all expenses relating to the children and any extra is discretionary.
If you have a family based arrangement, then you can negotiate how much is paid and what for.
Some paying parents are ok with paying extra for school uniform, trips etc. On top to of the calculated amount. I guess it depends on disposable income and affordability.
Child maintenance isn’t an amount that must be spent solely on the child, it can also cover a contribution towards the cost of housing and living expenses too, keeping them warm, secure and fed are essential basics, in this regard specifying exactly what it covers isn’t feasible.
Really hard when they are going on holidays, personal trainers, expensive bags and you can't afford those things.
Appreciate your perspective though I don't want to be unfair
That seems an extravagant lifestyle for someone on state benefits!
Paying the stated amount is fair enough if you cant afford anymore, perhaps you need to have some discussion about her expectations versus what you can afford.
Best of luck
Hello Dee Montell
Child maintenance is a contribution towards the cost of bringing up a child and this includes not only items, such as food and clothing, but it is also a contribution towards the home that the child lives in and the associated costs of running that home.
If the child maintenance agreement you currently have in place is set up directly with your ex-partner (known as a family-based arrangement), there are no set rules to follow as it is not legally binding. With this in mind, it is entirely down to you and your ex-partner to agree on the content of your agreement, and who provides what for your children. Your agreement could be a regular financial payment, or non-monetary aspects can be included to help out with your children’s daily living costs.
Where there is a statutory child maintenance case in place with, either the Child Maintenance Service or the Child Support Agency (CSA), paying the amount worked out by them would generally be your legal responsibility fulfilled. Any additional contributions would be entirely voluntary.
Any child maintenance arrangements set up via court, you would need to refer to the documentation for the terms of the order in order to find out what your obligations are. If this is not clear, you may wish to seek legal advice.
For a more personalised response, you may wish to contact Child Maintenance Options directly at http://www.cmoptions.org.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a website, 'Sorting out Separation'. It aims to make it much easier for separating and separated parents (and childless couples) to find the support they need, when and where they need it, and encourages them to collaborate on a range of issues. The link is https://www.sortingoutseparation.org.uk/.
Regards
William
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