[Solved] Child maintenance and 2 difference mothers

Hi

Usually for 2 children it's roughly 16% of your income (split between the 2 children's mothers)

You can use the calculator here https://www.gov.uk/calculate-your-child-maintenance

The Child Maintenance Options helpline is usually quite good too 🙂

Hello mikeh71

On the Child Maintenance Options website, http://www.cmoptions.org, you will find the Online calculator which will give you an idea of the amount that the Government would consider reasonable for you to pay.

You mention that your son lives in Southern Ireland, so his mother would be outside the jurisdiction of the UK maintenance services (Child Maintenance Service).
You do not mention where you live yourself however. If you also live outside the UK, the calculator is not relevant to you unless you use it as a guide for your own arrangement.

If you would like further information and a more personalised service, you can contact Child Maintenance Options directly.

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

Thanks for your advice.

I have looked at the calculator but it doesnt really work quite easily for me.

Based on £800 a week and having 2 children (with 2 mothers) would my calculations be as follows :-

£800 x 16% = £128; per year £128 * 52 = £6,656; per month £6,656 / 12 = £555

Now because I have 2 children with 2 different mothers this is then halved - £555 / 2 = £277.50 each

Because I hardly see my son who lives in Southern Ireland, his mother would get £277.50 per month

Because I see my daughter 130 days per year I subtract 2/7's from £277.50

Therefore would pay £277.50 - £79.29 = £198.21

I appreciate this is quite a minefield etc but when I try and put the above into the calculator it doesn't provide the above.

Also I reside in the UK.

Thanks for any more advice
Mike

I 'm not 100% on the CMS system with different mothers, but I can't see any problem with your calculation. Do you have a case open with them at the moment, or are you working on creating a family based arrangement?