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Hello guys!
New to site so hello to all!
I am looking for information regarding paying for child maintenance...
Basically my ex has recently asked me to pay child maintenance for our son because she is moving in with her new fella and will lose a lot of benefits that she currently gets...
I have my son 3 nights a week and 2 full days, she has him 3 nights a week also and her mum has him overnight on the Saturday most weeks, if she can't for whatever reason then I have him that night also...
Now, while I have no issues with paying for my child, I really want to know exactly how much and what it is that I would have to pay for.
Does anyone have any information or know someone that I can speak to in regards to this matter...
I am from England if that helps!
Cheers guys, keep doing what you're doing!
Hi there
Generally, whoever is receiving child benefit for the child is eligible for child maintenance, which she would be entitled to whether she was living with someone or not.
You can come to a private arrangement with her, or she can apply to the CMS for a statutory arrangement. If that happens they will look at your gross income, whether you pay into a pension and how many nights per week your son stays with you. It's much better to try and reach a private agreement in my opinion.
The fact that your child goes to his maternal grandmother one night a week, I doubt would be considered. So the amount you would pay would include a reduction of 3/7ths of the calculated amount for the three overnights he spends with you.
Once any pension amount has been deducted, they would work out your weekly gross income and make a calculation of 12% of that amount, they would then make a reduction of 3/7ths of that amount for the overnight stays, the amount left is what you would be expected to pay.
As an example, if you were on £200pw gross income and paid £10pw into a pension, the amount they would use would be £190. 12% of that is £22.80 and 3/7ths of that amount is £9.78, somthe amount you would pay would be £13.02.
Child maintenance is to cover the daily care of your child, but how it is used is at the receiving parents discretion, it may go towards household expenses, as well as clothing, treats for the child, school uniform and out of school activities. The calculated amount you pay is all you are required to pay, anything extra is purely discretionary.
Here's a link to the governments guidelines about how maintenance is calculated and gives more detailed information.
If you want to chat to someone you can call Child Maintenance Options and they will talk you through your options and answer any questions you have.
Best of luck
Hello Gibbo88
If you are planning to set up your own family-based arrangement, there are no set rules regarding what to pay. The two of you can decide what is included in your agreement.
If you want to use the statutory rules as the basis of your arrangement, you can find an online calculator on the Child Maintenance Options website, http://www.cmoptions.org, along with lots of tools and guides which are designed to help parents wishing to set up a family-based arrangement.
You can also read detailed information about how the Child Maintenance Service work here,
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/325219/how-we-work-out-child-maintenance.pdf
If you would like more detailed information about the options available to you and to receive a more personalised service, you can contact Child Maintenance Options directly.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a web application, ‘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 http://www.dad.info/divorce-and-separation/sorting-out-separation
Regards
William
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