Child maintenance is financial support provided by one parent to another for the upbringing of their child. If you’re the parent with primary care of the child, you may wonder how much child maintenance you should receive. Let’s explore this in simple terms.
Factors Affecting Child Maintenance:
- Income of the Non-Resident Parent: The amount of maintenance you should receive is often based on the income of the non-resident parent, the one who doesn’t live with the child full-time. This includes earnings from work, pensions, and other sources of income.
- Number of Children: The number of children involved can affect the amount of maintenance. Generally, more children mean higher maintenance payments.
- Shared Care Arrangements: If the child spends time living with both parents, this may reduce the maintenance payments you receive. The more time the child spends with the non-resident parent, the less maintenance you may get.
- Special Circumstances: If your child has any special needs or requires additional financial support, this may also affect the maintenance amount.
How Maintenance Payments are Calculated:
In the UK, there’s a standard formula used to calculate child maintenance payments. The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) usually handles these calculations. They consider the income of the non-resident parent and apply a percentage to determine the amount of maintenance owed.
- For one child: The non-resident parent usually pays around 12% of their gross weekly income.
- For two children: This percentage increases to around 16% of gross weekly income.
- For three or more children: The percentage continues to increase incrementally.
Using a Child Maintenance Calculator:
To get a more accurate estimate of how much child maintenance you should receive, you can use an online child maintenance calculator. These calculators take into account factors like income, number of children, and shared care arrangements to provide an estimate.
Conclusion:
As the parent with primary care of the child, you’re entitled to receive child maintenance to help with the costs of raising your child. The amount you should receive depends on factors like the income of the non-resident parent, the number of children, and any shared care arrangements. Using a child maintenance calculator or seeking advice from the CMS can help you understand how much maintenance you’re entitled to receive. Remember, child maintenance is meant to support your child’s well-being, so it’s essential to ensure you’re receiving the appropriate amount.