Child support begins when a couple separate or divorce, and one parent lives away from their child or children. The child will generally live with the primary carer, or parent with care, and may have regular contact with the non resident parent or may not. As parents with care are most often mothers it is the father’s obligation to support the child financially by paying regular maintenance.
A Financial Commitment
Paying maintenance for a child’s upbringing and living expenses is a big commitment for any parent. Financially supporting a child until they leave full-time education is a parental duty that requires monetary resources and a responsible outlook.
For many parents with care commitment comes in the form of supporting the child in the home environment, whilst the non resident parent provides financial assistance to cover the cost of food, shelter, clothing, educational requirements and other sundry items the child will need as they grow up.
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A Child Support order generally lasts until the child is 19. Providing financial support for that length of time means that the child is given an allowance that covers the cost of things he/she will need as they reach maturity.
Maintenance might pay for school fees, extracurricular activities, sporting items and equipment and other specialist goods that perhaps would not be affordable without the help of child support benefits.
If the child is still in education, at the age of 19, child support contributions may still be required. Providing financial assistance at this time may help ease the pressure of becoming independent. If the child has any special needs this may require that the non resident parent’s maintenance payments continue for a longer period of time.
Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.
Changes In Circumstances
Any changes in living circumstances must be reported to the Child Support Agency (CSA) as soon as possible. This includes changes in address, telephone number and employment, as well as anything else which may influence the amount of maintenance the parent with care receives. Without this updated information there may be a delay in crediting a child support account.
Changes can be reported and recorded with a member of the Child Support Agency staff via the telephone.
Modifying A Child Support Order.
The law accepts that a parent’s income and the cost of living expenses will change from time to time. After a while the initial calculation of child support, that is payable to the parent with care, may require modification in some way. Recalculation of child support will be necessary if there is an increase or decrease of at least 10%.
If a parent thinks a modification should be made, to the current payable amount of maintenance, they must check the figures using an online child support calculation option. This is quick and easy to use and can provide the information needed to update child support payment records.
Modification may be necessary if the amount of time a parent with care spends with the child decreases and the non resident parent takes on more responsibility. Loss of employment will also affect calculations.
I am a british and reside now in England as i moved back to the UK and left a child in California USA. Since I moved back I have been to the courts for 6 years and they have denied me access to my daughter who is now 7. The USA maintained my financial status as in America when i left. I.e., Job, home and business. The USA orders clearly state that the mother is to inform me of the welfare of my child. Obviously she never did this. She managed to obtain a UK restraining order which she then used to negate the USA orders. I was upset and said this is illegal and continually asked about my child. The UK court then gave me a 9 month prison sentence for breach of the UK order. Then 3 weeks having been been put in prison the USA order was registered in England claiming $150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand dollars) and they attempted to put a lien on property with the immediate judgement. I had no property as I knew what the mother was doing. I worked in law and was earning £110,000 a year. I no longer can work in law therefore i now cannot pay the judgement. I am disputing the UK order as it overdid the USA order and cancelled out my rights, and then they switched orders and enforced the money on me. I got to go to court and argue the UK had no jurisdiction changing the orders causing confusion with both authorities and executing the UK order when the USA order was ignored. Then when I was put in prison they switched to the USA order to obtain the money. I think, (strongly believe I can claim damages for millions based on loss of earnings for me and my child thorough negligence with the UK authorities for granting an illegal order and imprisoning me thus costing me my career so the child now suffers also as i can't work again and cannot pay the $150,000 plus $2500 a month and the 10% interest. To this day I am still being charged the monthly payment and interest even though I have been to prison and have not worked for 2 years. The english court now are demanding the money and obviously i am on jobseekers allowance £72 a week. I need help suing the UK court for damages as the executed an illegal order on me and then switching to the USA one to enforce money, I.e, they cancelled my rights out and then enforced the USA rights to money.
I am going to county court and requesting the matter go to the High Court to rule which order is legal. The USA order says it's a criminal offence if I don't speak to the mother regarding the child and the UK order says it is a criminal offence if I do speak to the mother. They executed the UK order thus the USA order now cannot be executed. It is straightforward I think because if the High Court rule the USA order cannot be varied then there has to be case law and a law suit for damages as the only way it can be resolved is if I get damages in order to rectify it for my daughter and me. Can anyone help me with advice on this and possible representation in the High court to
to declare that his marriage needs to take another route.
Whilst we face bankruptcy and still have to give her holiday spending money.... the system is just not fair...
when we were together during and after pregnancy i would have to leave our home at a weekend so he could have his daughter, all photos of my and my child and their toys were locked away. this is how his ex wanted it, their daughter not being involved in our lifes hence why our relationship finished.
now he is back living there he wants to see our child on a saturday 10-4, but his ex does not want anything to do with me or my child so she wants him to collect and drop off from my sisters.
he has not been in my sons life, he does not no my sons habits and likes and dislikes, he has no where to go apart from out every saturday if he can not take him back to his home.
do i have any rights to stop this happening
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