Your Guide to Child Support

Divorce or separation is never an easy time, but it can be even more difficult if you share children together. If you have a child or children with your ex partner then there’s plenty to consider, including how to split custody arrangements and sorting out child support.

Child support (also known as child maintenance) is part of family law and it refers to an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child. The aim is to divide the costs of raising children fairly between both parents following the end of a relationship, but the system can be difficult to navigate. If you’re recently separated and want to know more about child support, see below for our handy guide.

Who has to pay child support?

Child support can be arranged as a private agreement between both parents, or through the government’s Child Maintenance Service (CMS). In the majority of cases, payments are made by the parent who doesn’t have day to day care of the child. If care is shared equally, then neither parent has to pay child support, but the CMS will need evidence of a formal or informal agreement of this from both parents.

Child maintenance payments need to be made until the child is 16, or up to 20 if they’re still in education or training.

How child support is calculated

Several factors affect the amount of child support that needs to be paid, including your income and whether you receive any benefits. The government has a tool to help you calculate the amount of child maintenance here.

As you might expect, the higher your income, the higher your child support payments will be in most cases. The amount will also depend on how many nights the child spends with the paying parent, whether they’re paying child support for any other children and whether they have children living with them.

How do I make a child maintenance arrangement?

Some parents prefer to come to a child maintenance agreement themselves if you both agree on the terms. You can use a third party mediator to help you come to an agreement, as well as the calculator listed above to give an idea of how much payments should be.

If you can’t come to an agreement privately, you can set up a case with the Child Maintenance Service. You may have to pay a fee for this service but the CMS can intervene on your behalf if one parent is failing to make payments.

If you’re looking for professional help and advice regarding a child support arrangement, get in touch with the family law team at Mark Redler & Co Solicitors. We offer expert impartial advice that puts your interests first and our team are on hand to help you get the child support agreement you deserve. We offer a free 30 minute consultation to all potential clients, so give us a call today or contact us via our website.