How Much Will I Have to Pay?

What is child maintenance?

Child maintenance is regular financial support paid by a parent who does not live with their child. The money goes to the parent or carer who looks after the child day to day.

In most cases, this means one parent pays the other. Sometimes the receiving person is not a parent at all: it could be a grandparent, other relative, or guardian who has taken on full-time care of the child.

The payments help cover everyday costs like food, clothing, school trips, toiletries, activities, and general household expenses. Child maintenance is separate from any benefits either parent might receive.

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Why maintenance matters

Raising a child costs money. The parent with day to day care handles most of these costs directly, from buying new shoes to paying for school dinners. Regular maintenance from the other parent helps share that financial load.

This is not about one parent doing a favour for the other. It is about both parents contributing to their child's upbringing. Whether parents separated amicably or not, the child's needs remain the same.

For many families, maintenance can make a real difference to a child's quality of life. It might mean the difference between affording a school trip or having to say no, between replacing worn-out clothes promptly or making do.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

How the amount is worked out

The Child Maintenance Service uses a formula based on:

• Your gross weekly income
• The number of children you are paying for
• How many nights those children stay with you
• Whether you have other children living in your household

Your gross income is usually taken from HMRC records. This means your earnings before tax and National Insurance, not what lands in your bank account. If you are self-employed or your income has changed recently, there are ways to have this reviewed.

Child maintenance is calculated as a percentage of your gross weekly income. For one child, the standard rate is 12 percent. For two children, it rises to 16 percent. For three or more, it is 19 percent. These percentages apply between certain income thresholds, and the exact figures are updated each April in line with the fiscal year. Check GOV.UK for the current rates, as they change annually.

If your income is very low, you may pay a flat rate of just a few pounds per week. If you receive certain benefits such as Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, or Pension Credit and have no other income, you might pay nothing at all. At the higher end, there is a cap of £156,000 gross per annum on income used for CMS calculations. Where a paying parent earns above this amount, the receiving parent can apply to the court for additional maintenance.

Overnight stays with the paying parent reduce the amount. If a child stays with you for 52 to 103 nights a year, the maintenance figure drops by one seventh. More nights mean bigger reductions, with further bands for 104 to 155 nights and 156 to 174 nights. This reflects the costs you cover directly when the child is with you.

If you have other children living in your household, whether your own or a partner's children you support financially, this can also reduce what you pay. The calculation accounts for your responsibilities to those children too.

The government website has an online calculator that gives an estimate based on your circumstances.

Ways to arrange maintenance

There are three main options for sorting out child maintenance in the UK.

A family-based arrangement is a private agreement between parents. You decide the amount and payment schedule yourselves. There are no fees, and you keep control. This works well when both parents communicate reasonably and trust each other to stick to the agreement.

The Child Maintenance Service can calculate a figure for you. You can then either pay each other directly through Direct Pay, or use their Collect and Pay service. Direct Pay means the CMS works out the amount but you handle payments yourselves. Collect and Pay means the CMS collects from one parent and passes it to the other, but both parents pay fees for this service.

A court order may be used for high income cases where earnings exceed the CMS cap, or where parents have reached a consent order as part of divorce proceedings. For most straightforward child maintenance cases, the CMS route is more common.

If a parent defaults on payments, the CMS can directly deduct from wages or benefits and may pursue further legal action in serious cases.

If your financial circumstances change after an arrangement is in place, contact the CMS to request a reassessment. This applies whether your income has gone up or down, or if the overnight staying arrangements have changed.

Whatever route you take, keeping records helps. Note down payments made or received, and save any messages agreeing amounts or dates. Keep records of any income changes too. This protects both sides if there is ever a dispute.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Child Support Rights Checker lets you answer a few questions about your situation and get a clear summary of your child maintenance rights and options. Try it now →