Child Maintenance
Providing for Children After Separation
Child maintenance is often one of the first questions parents have following separation. In practice, the answer is usually more straightforward than expected.
In most cases, child maintenance is dealt with in one of two ways: by agreement between parents, or through the Child Maintenance Service, which applies a statutory formula based on income and the number of nights each parent spends with the children.
The Child Maintenance Service have ultimate jurisdiction where the paying parent’s gross annual income is less than £156,000 per annum. Where income exceeds this level, the Court can become involved. Even then, however, the approach is guided by established principles and a recognised formula developed through case law, rather than open-ended discretion.
While individual circumstances will always matter, child maintenance is rarely as uncertain or complex as it first appears. Addressing it early helps bring clarity, set expectations, and keep wider financial discussions focused and proportionate.
