Articles by Lorna Elliott on Extensive Information on Child Support Laws
How Much Will I Have to Pay?
Child maintenance payments depend on your income and how often your children stay with you, and a family arrangement or the CMS can help set the amount.
16th June 2026
What Counts as Earnings?
Which income sources count toward child maintenance calculations and how earnings orders work.
25th May 2026
Can I Get Back Pay for Child Maintenance?
You can claim back pay for child maintenance through the CMS, but only from when they first contacted the other parent.
20th May 2026
Shared Care of a Child
When both parents share responsibility for a child living in separate homes, here's how child support works.
2nd April 2026
Moving Abroad, the Issues
When moving abroad with your child, you'll need court permission unless the other parent agrees, or risk breaking abduction laws.
2nd April 2026
Lifestyle Inconsistent with Income Award: How Is It Decided?
The CMS can seize goods or take court action to enforce unpaid child maintenance, but some assets and work items are protected from seizure.
15th March 2026
Who Can Apply for Child Support?
You can apply for child support if you have care of a child or parental responsibility, whether or not you're a biological parent.
15th March 2026
CMS Decisions That Are Wrong in Law
When the Child Maintenance Service gets a decision wrong, you can challenge it through a supersession application.
13th March 2026
CSA Ongoing Cases: Periodic Case Checks
The CMS checks child support cases periodically, usually every two years, and can change the amount if circumstances warrant it.
7th March 2026
Child Support and the Family Law Act 1996
How the Family Law Act 1996 handles child support, divorce mediation, and protective orders like Non-Molestation and Occupation Orders.
15th June 2010
Child Support and the Human Rights Act 1998
How Article 8 of the Human Rights Act protects family relationships and what it means for child support cases.
3rd June 2010
Child Support and the Children Act 1989
How the Children Act 1989 shapes child support decisions and parental rights in UK family law.
3rd June 2010
Employers' Legal Obligations to the CSA
Your employer must follow strict rules when handling your child support case, or they could face fines and prosecution.
24th March 2010
Arranging Child Support Through the Courts
You can arrange child support through the courts using a consent order, but both parents must agree on the amount and legal costs fall on you.
24th March 2010
Legal Rights for Separating Parents
Know your legal rights as a separating parent, including parental responsibility and decisions about where your children live.
23rd March 2010
What Are Parents' Rights on Separation?
When parents separate, you have legal rights and responsibilities regarding custody, contact and financial support for your child.
1st March 2010
When, Why and How Can a CSA Decision Be Revised?
You can ask the CSA to change their decision within a month or if special circumstances apply, though the rules on what counts as special are vague.
13th October 2009
Can You Change a CSA/CMS Decision?
Yes, CSA and CMS decisions can be changed if there's an error or circumstances have altered since the decision was made.
7th October 2009
Judicial Review: Decision Exceeded the Power of the CSA/CMS?
Challenge a CSA or CMS decision through judicial review if the way it was made was flawed or beyond their legal power.
7th October 2009
Supercession: The Powers of the CSA to Supersede a Decision
The CSA can overturn past decisions if they were wrong, circumstances have changed, or more than a month has passed since you were notified.
7th October 2009
Income: Protected, Assessable and Exempt
Child support payments calculated before 2003 fall under old rules that classify income as protected, assessable or exempt.
8th April 2009
Enforcement of CSA/CMS Payments
How the CSA and CMS handle child maintenance payments, arrears, and collection services for non-resident parents.
8th April 2009
Appealing Child Support Decisions
You have one month to appeal a child support decision, but you can apply late if you have compelling reasons to do so.
24th March 2009
Can a Parent Give Up His or Her Parental Rights?
Parents can't simply give up parental rights, but legal responsibility transfers through adoption, surrogacy, and other formal processes.
13th January 2009
Disputes Over Paternity
When someone disputes paternity, the CSA/CMS must investigate and establish who the legal parent is before calculating child maintenance.
13th January 2009
Non-Payment and Visitation / Penalties
Withholding contact from a non-paying parent may feel justified, but courts prioritize the child's best interests over financial disputes.
13th January 2009
Does the CSA Have to Get Involved?
Parents can handle child support without the CSA, but informal agreements only work if both sides stay committed to the arrangement.
13th January 2009
Child Support: Legal Case Studies
Real court cases show how judges handle disputes over child support, paternity and parental rights.
13th January 2009