Child Maintenance: How separated Britons can ensure their child is supported

Child Maintenance is described by the government website as an “arrangement between one person and the other parent of their child”. It is a formal agreement, which Britons can expect to be drafted with support and assistance from the government. The intent of Child Maintenance is to ensure the costs arising in a child’s day-to-day living are covered.

The amount a paying parent will put forward in Child Maintenance is likely to vary dependent on circumstances.

Thankfully though, the government has established a Child Maintenance calculator, to help Britons understand the amount they are required to pay.

If parents are arranging payments amongst themselves, then the calculator will give them a figure to work around.

But for those using the government, the calculator will provide an estimate of what the government is likely to work out for them.

However, it is worth paying attention to the consequences in the instance the paying parent does not hold up their end of the bargain.

The government has said the Child Maintenance Service will take action if payments are not made.

This can be achieved through a variety of enforcement charges, which currently range from £50 to £300.

But how the action is taken is dependent on the arrangement parents have.

If the paying parent is paying through the CMS, then the government will take direct action immediately.

However, if the parent is paying the other parent directly, the receiving parent will need to request the service take action on the matter.