Your Top Child Support Questions Answered

Originally written by Liz Baron, updated by the editorial team on 4th April 2026

We have lots of comments and questions posted on our articles (keep them coming). Our legal expert, answers some of your top questions here:

My ex and I have two children, he re- married after our divorce, and is now divorcing his wife (number 2) and has 2 children with her. He says that my child support has to be lowered since he now has to pay for the other two children, is this true?
dort - 2012

Not necessarily. It is possible that you will be paid less but this depends on a number of factors.

The first question is whether he pays maintenance to you through a Family-Arrangement, the court or Child Maintenance Service (CMS). If it is under a Family-Arrangement, then he can pay a lower amount. The most sensible thing is for you to try and agree a different arrangement if he is struggling to pay. However, when he was married he was still supporting four children and so, hopefully it will not have to change too much. If you are unable to come to an arrangement then you can ask the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to calculate payments instead.

If there is a court order for your ex to pay child maintenance then your ex cannot just change the payments made. If he fails to pay the correct amount, then you can ask the court to enforce it. If, however, his child maintenance for his other two children is ordered by the court at the same time as his divorce then it might affect the payments he can make to you.

If the child maintenance is already paid through the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) then it is calculated on one of four rates. The rate which is applicable to your ex will depend on his net weekly income. If, for example, your ex earns more than £200 per week, then he will pay what is known as a "basic" rate.

On this rate, when paying maintenance for children, he would have been paying 20% of his net weekly income. Now that he is paying for 4 children, however, he will have to pay 25% of his net weekly income. Even though he will now have to pay a higher amount, the sum paid is normally split equally between the children. Therefore on this rate, if he earns £200 per week, he would be paying approximately £12.50 x 4 children instead of £20 x 2 children. Using this example, he is paying more than before but this is split between more children, resulting in a smaller payment per child.

Taking another example, if he earns less than £200 but more than £100 net per week, then he is likely to be on the "reduced rate". If on this rate, then for 2 children your ex would have had to pay a flat rate of £5 per week plus 35% of any income he earns over £100 per week but below £200 per week. Let us take an example net weekly income of £150. He earns £50 more than £100 of which he must pay 35% plus £5. This would result in a payment of £11.25 x 2 children. Now that he has to pay for 4 children, the rate to be paid is £5 plus 45% of his net earnings over £100. Taking the example net weekly income of £150 again, this would come to £6.88 x 4 children, resulting in a reduced amount of income.

If you can keep communicating with each other then you will be in a better position to understand whether or not he genuinely cannot pay.

I have never ever taken my ex partner to the CMS for payments as I have always supported my daughter myself, but times are very hard and I cannot survive on my wages alone. Would he be made to pay for the whole 16 years once my application was submitted or would I have to take him to court for back payment?
sillybilly - 2017

Unfortunately, if there has never been an child maintenance arrangement or agreement in place before now then you will not be able to claim back payment for the whole 16 years. Sometimes, when you first make an application for CMS, it can take a while for the arrangement to be put in place. In this circumstance, your ex partner will have to pay arrears back to the time that your application to the CMS was made but cannot go back any further than that. The sooner you get a claim in, the better so that you can continue to support your daughter as you always have.

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The only way you can try and claim back payment is if you did have a previous arrangement in place with your ex partner and he failed to pay. If this is the case and it was agreed that he was going to make payments to you and was lax about doing so, then you may be able to enforce the payment and back payment through the court. If you have evidence of an agreement, for example, letter, emails, messages etc then you will have a higher chance of winning a claim. What you will have to bear in mind is that going to court can be timely and expensive so you should seek the advice of a family law specialist before doing so.

My family are looking to move to Australia, I am divorced from the father of our daughter (she is 8 years old). She has not seen him in 18 months and he has not made attempt to see her. Visits were sporadic before this, but he stopped when I got re-married. Can I take her to Australia to live?
saz - 2012

You cannot just take your child out of the jurisdiction without permission. If you do, you be deemed to have abducted your child, even though you are the resident parent. The easiest way to get permission, if at all possible, is to seek it from your ex husband. If he gives permission then you and your daughter are able to leave. If he will not, then you will need to obtain leave from the court. The way to do this is to make an application for leave to remove your daughter from the jurisdiction. The court will usually grant permission if you have a carefully selected plan and it is in the best interests of your child. They will also take into account the wishes of your daughter i.e. the fact that she wants to move to Australia, the fact that she does not have regular contact with her father and the fact that you are taking her abroad for good reasons and not to take her away from her father. Other things to show the court are realistic proposals for your daughter to see her father if he should want to see her again and of course, if she wants to see him, where you plan to live, work and the schooling arrangements for your daughter etc.

Hi. I'm just after a little advice really if anyone can help? I am 39 weeks pregnant and un-employed only receiving maternity allowance. I live with my partner who has another child who is 18. When he changed jobs he informed the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) and he had to fill out new details. The decision has come back and it would appear they have taken my benefits into consideration when calculating what my partner should pay! Can they do this? I was under the impression as the 18yr old child was nothing to do with me and the fact I don't work I'm on maternity allowance would mean I don't contribute? Also will the payments change when I give birth to our baby in the next couple of weeks?
dannib-123 - 2012

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) takes into account the net monthly income of the non-resident parent when calculating child maintenance. Income means earnings, wages, private pensions, bonuses, overtime pay, etc. Contractual maternity or paternity pay i.e. money agreed in you contract with your employer, tends to be classed as "income" whereas Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay and Statutory Adoption Pay, which is that which must be given to you by your employer by law.

This is the same for Maternity Allowance, which you normally get whilst pregnant and unemployed. It means that it is a benefit which is usually disregarded when classifying "income" and would therefore, in normal circumstances, would be disregarded by the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) when calculating child maintenance.

In any event, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) when calculating income, takes into account the income of the non-resident partner rather than the household in most circumstances. That would be your partner's income, rather than your income and his together. It depends whether or not your benefit takes into account both your circumstances together.

Additionally, your partner should only be paying child maintenance for the 18 year old child if he is still classed as a child. This will be if either child benefit is still being received for your partner's child or if he is still in full-time education. If not, it is possible that he should not be paying at all.

You and your partner need to contact the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to explain your situation and check that your partner is on the correct rate and paying the correct amount and that the correct "income" is being taken into account.

With regards to your new born baby, within 7 days of giving birth, your partner needs to contact the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) to let them know. This is because the change in circumstances could mean that your partner should start to pay less money. The sooner you notify of this, the better.

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

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 →

130 questions

Ask Child Support Laws a Question

scott 16/03/2023 at 4:51 pm

my partner and i have brought up her child for the last 10 years and haven’t had anything off the father csa wise in that time!! he has always told them he does not work but we know that he has been in that time for cash… the child has gone to live with the father now for the first time. he has been there 6 weeks and demanding money off us… would we still have to pay him even though he has never given us a penny over the ten years?

Kimbo 29/03/2022 at 2:46 pm

If I'm paying for my child does the mam still have the right to claim child support?

JoeyF 31/01/2021 at 9:22 pm

I'm over 55 and can move my company pension to release 25% of the total pot of money. If I take the 25% which is tax free, will it affect my monthly payments? Will HMRC / CMS/CSA consider this one off lump sum for the calculation of maintenance and in doing so rocket my payments upwards.

Will 30/09/2020 at 7:45 am

My eldest child finished her A levels in June. She is taking a year out and will start university in Sept ‘21. She is currently working full-time. She will be 19 in November this year and is living at home with her mother, two younger siblings and her mother’s partner.
My question is when do I stop paying her maintenance?

J 02/05/2020 at 8:35 pm

My ex girlfriend has claimed her child as mine. I have disputed this claim and requested a paternity test. I will hold my hands up, so to speak, and admit i missed the correspondence to arrange this. However, i have contacted the csa on multiple occasions since then trying to rearrange the test. Every time i have been denied the opportunity to pay for the test as authorization has been required. I have requested this on 3 occasions to which 3 different csa advisors have promised me a return phonecall to take payment. I have received no such phonecall. I have now been issued a deduction of earnings order and, as a result, am having the csa take the payment directly from my earnings. This is all despite me not being on the childs birth certificate aswel as not having proof that i am his father. The relationship i had with the mother was very traumatic and i realy do not want any contact between her or my family. That being said i will not hesitate to meet my financial responsibility towards him but only if have proof that i realy am the father.

Simon 01/09/2019 at 8:59 pm

I pay my child support payments every month direct out of my wage to csa after arguments with my ex over money and her threatening access to my son. Since then she is constantly at me to give her more money for things even though I I'm paying the legal requirement and provide for my son half the week I have him. Where do I stand? I'm getting tired of the constant nagging and guilt tripping then her using him as a bargaining chip for money

Gav 07/06/2019 at 5:40 pm

If I could get a answer for the question I asked in my previous post that would be great

Gav 07/06/2019 at 5:35 pm

Hi my ex has recently had my name off my daughter's birth certificate and she dose not let me see her or have any involvement in her life. Do I still have to pay maintenance?

JDad 27/02/2019 at 1:34 pm

I pay child maintenance to my ex-wife for our daughter through a private agreement but there appears to be no mention of when child maintenance will stop. Our daughter is now 17 and has started an apprenticeship as a hair stylist in a high street salon with one day a week release to college. Legally when should I expect stop paying child maintenance?

Help 27/12/2018 at 1:27 pm

My ex has always paid spousal and child maintenance for 2 children since Oct 2012 as agreed in a consent order however this amount has never increased. I’m aware his salary has increased considerably how do I ask for these amounts to be reviewed.

Emma 20/12/2018 at 7:51 am

Hi
Just after advise, my husband as been paying an ex csa now for 5 years , never missed a payment and always been happy to pay.
The past year or so though the child he is paying for dont stay with the mom he stsys at his grandparents and only visits the mother.
I feel its unfair for us to stuggle
With payments when she dont even have the child...basically shes racking it in as 2 lots of csa off to seperate dads..and claims benefits as dont work as she as mental health issue's..
Any advice would be great

Mumsy 15/09/2018 at 9:18 am

My son turns 18 in 3 months and has just left school as he wants to join the armed forces. Until when should my ex still support him? We have a private arrangement and have never used csa.
Thanks

JG 23/08/2018 at 8:40 am

I pay £500 per month maintenance to my ex for my son. This is 18% of my net salary and it’s a private agreement. She has re-married a man who earns 6 figures each year, she earns £40k per year. They go 4 holidays abroad each year and splash the cash. I on the other hand can’t afford to do much due to the crippling child maintenance. I have no issue paying it but the fact they earn such good money she deliberately takes such a high amount “because the law allows her to”. They are far from skint and I feel the money could be better spent on my son or even saved for when he is an adult to buy a house. On top of my £500 per month I pay to her, I have to them feed him, do things with him when he is with me etc... the system is very unfair and tars everyone with the same brush, no matter how good the residential parent has it. It’s disgusting and the government should apply common sense and underwrite / evaluate every case not just on income but outgoings, quality of life for both the resident and non resident parent.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 11/05/2018 at 10:54 am

You need to tell CMS if your income increases or decreases by: 25% or more, As child maintenance is calculated retrospectively, then you would have to take this up with CMS directly, as we do not have knowledge of it's administrative procedures.

UK35 10/05/2018 at 11:47 am

Hi, please could I get an answer on the following.

I had a change in role at work, this involved a reduction in salary.

I had my last higher salary on 28th Dec 2017.

And started my new job 2nd Jan 2018 with the lower salary.

I pay child maintenance on the 3rd of every month.

When should the reduced level of child maintenance start ? 3rd Jan or 3rd Feb ?

Thanks

JonB Editor 27/04/2018 at 1:58 pm

@Rose - is he paying directly to your children? This sounds a bit odd. As if he was in arrears via CSA he would have to pay you directly.

Rose 20/04/2018 at 6:49 pm

Hi my ex husband has been paying CSA for my two children for so many years and he's still paying even thought my youngest is 33 years old, I have not received a payment from CSA. Can I get a backdated payment from CSA.

What can I do please help

ChildSupportLaws Editor 16/04/2018 at 2:56 pm

Your son's ex does not have to justify what she spends child maintenance on. If they have a family-based child maintenance agreement then it should be agreed between the parents how it is paid. If the parents disagree with each other either of the parents can use CMS, or apply to court.

Ellesmummy 16/04/2018 at 8:31 am

Hi my son pays vol child support for two girls @£80.00pw. He is self employed paying himself £150.00pw. He has asked his ex if he can pay monthly and she has blown her top. Saying she is seeking legal advice because she wants “that money “ weekly. Can she do this and force the way it is paid? Also can she spend that money on anything she likes?
Thanks

Maccy18 28/02/2018 at 2:14 pm

Hi, if I go through csa, will I receive less money if he has another child with an ex whom he pays for but not through the csa?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 08/02/2018 at 10:39 am

You would have to speak directly to CMS regarding this matter. You will be asked to prove that you are supporting another child.

T 07/02/2018 at 11:09 am

Hi, I have a small dilemma... I have a secret love child who I am currently supporting however this child lives abroad and culture wise the women will be looked down upon if she does not produce a man to sign the birth certificate, in the end her boyfriend signed the birth certificate but I have continued to support my child.

could I claim this child on my application or would it be a waste of time and energy considering this is a love child?

please advise.

Thanks

ChildSupportLaws Editor 06/02/2018 at 12:30 pm

If you have no objection to paying, then you can either agree between you or via mediation. There is no set way or rules to share the costs, just what you both feel is fair.

PetitChat 02/02/2018 at 11:49 am

Thanks for your answer. I never said I don't want to pay for the school, I am asking what's the best way to share the cost. My point is why would I have to pay half of the school fees when there is most likely some money left over from a £600 child maintenance after expenses are paid. We are talking about a child who is not even 4 and has not started school yet. If mother who earns twice more than father wants to send the child to a private school, does is sound fair to split the fees 50/50?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 02/02/2018 at 9:53 am

Child maintenance and school fees are two separate issues. By law, you are responsible for paying child maintenance if you are the non-resident parent. There is no set guidelines regarding school fees. As parents, you either agree between you, try to come to a suitable arrangement through mediation, or if you refuse to pay, your ex would have to apply to court to try to force you. A court can order a non-resident parent to continue paying school fees, if for instance it an arrangement that has been in place for some time and is in the continued best interests of the child. But it will take into consideration what it thinks is fair given the financial circumstances of both parents.

PetitChat 01/02/2018 at 2:41 pm

Hi, I know that school fees are not included in the child maintenance payment. In my case the mother earns close to 1.5-2 times more than me but is expecting me to pay half of the school fees on top of the £600 child maintenance I pay. What are the typical guidelines to share the cost?

Clarabelle 19/01/2018 at 7:23 pm

Hi my partner has a 20% share in our business partnership, I have the other 80% as the business was mine before he became a partner in it. He pays maintenance for 2 children based on his income. My question is can the cms go after my share of income from the business ? Out of nowhere the cms have asked for the profit and loss of the business and his tax return, the tax return we understand but not why they want the profit and loss of the company ?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 28/11/2017 at 2:39 pm

The benchmark standard child access is one night overnight and one or two evenings in the week (not overnight). Of course, every case is different. But I would not let the threat of court stop you from applying for your ex to pay child maintenance. Every parent is responsible for paying towards the financial care of their children on a day-to-day basis. If your ex is earning, then so should he.

Aniebop 27/11/2017 at 9:08 pm

I have currently never claimed csa off my ex for our 3 boys for the past 2 yrs we have split as I no he will do whatever he can to not pay it. We have no legal agreement in place but they stay with him 1 night a week every Sunday. They come back to me Monday morning to take to school. If I try to claim maintenance can he demand them more nights or if it went to court would the court grant him more nights as I no he will only be doin this to bring his payments down. He has no real intention to have them any extra and I don't want to send my boys somewhere they are not wanted just so I can claim maintenance id rather struggle on my own.

Girls world 24/09/2017 at 8:31 pm

Can I claim child support for my nephew who lives with me off his father? My sister died and my nephew is living with me, kind of an amicable decision through both parties and social services. His father pays nothing to support his son so can I claim through CMS?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 27/04/2017 at 10:20 am

You don't say whether your partner has parental responsibility of his child. If he has, then his ex's new partner cannot take over parental responsibility or apply to without your partner's consent. If he hasn't got PR, still non-resident parents regardless of whether they see their children or not, or whether they have PR, have to pay to help support the day-to-day needs of their child, if they are named as the father. Child maintenance and child access have no bearing on each other. However, your partner has a right to form a relationship with his child if he chooses, regardless of whether the resident parent says she does not wish the non-resident parent to be involved. If your partner wishes to take this route, then he would need to suggest mediation in the first instance and if the mother refuses, he would then have the option to apply to court. I hope this helps answer your question.

small 26/04/2017 at 9:58 am

my partner has a child after a one night stand (he was married to his ex wife at the time) . when the childs mother told him, she said she didnt want anything from he and didn't want him to be involved in any way.

About a year ago she got in touch saying she wanted money from my partner but still doesn't want him to have anything to do with the child. Can she do this?

Also she is now engaged to an other man whom she has an other child with. If her partner has taken over parental responability, how could we find this out?

the mother of the child is not forth coming with anything information.

Em Editor 24/03/2017 at 2:34 pm

@Owls93 - he should be helping towards your child! If he doesn't help you voluntarily then I'd ring the CMS and find out for yourself.

Owls93 24/03/2017 at 8:57 am

Hi, I am still in a relationship with my sons father although we currently are not living together and aren't looking to be in the near future. My question is should he still pay me child maintenance to help support his son? He has told me that he looked into it and it is illegal to pay me maintenance as we are still in a relationship. He already pays the highest rate of csa to his other three children from two previous relationships so it wouldn't mean he had to pay out more money it would just mean it got split between them and my son. He doesn't help me financially I pay all my own bills and buy our son everything he needs. Thanks in advance

Heather 03/03/2017 at 11:40 am

My daughter will turn 18 this June but is still in full time education in Year 13. She has been accepted by a University to start a 3 year Degree course which starts in Sept 2017 - July 2020. My question is when does her father stop paying Child Support, is it when she turns 18 or when she finishes her degree course in July 2020 when she will be 21 years old??

ChildSupportLaws Editor 30/01/2017 at 9:50 am

Yes, you can apply for child maintenance from the father if you have not registered the father's name on the birth certificate

Help 29/01/2017 at 5:11 am

Hi. Can I put in a claim for CSA if the fathers name is not on the birth certificate? If not, what processes will I have to take in order to make the claim further to the above? And will receiving CSA impact potentially on other benefits I may receive, such as working tax, child tax etc? The father is currently stating he wants nothing to do with the baby. Thanks

ChildSupportLaws Editor 19/01/2017 at 2:55 pm

You can check how much you will be paying via the CMS calculator here. If you are disputing paternity then you can ask the mother of your child to consent to a DNA test. However, if she refuses you would have to apply through court, You would also have to pay child maintenance until the results were confirmed either way.

Oh dear 19/01/2017 at 2:55 am

Hi I have gotten a girl pregnant that I have only met once in 19 and not sure if I am even the father how and when do I start paying child support and how much of my wages am i required to give?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 06/01/2017 at 12:23 pm

As child maintenance payments are based on information given directly from the HMRC, then if your ex is filling in his tax return and declaring he has little income, then there is little you can do via the CMS. However, if your ex's lifestyle is contrary to him having little in the way of earnings i.e fast cars, expensive house all from his own pocket, then you may wish to seek legal advice regarding taking the matter to court. If the matter goes to court, the judge will look at his income in depth and will be able to make a decision based upon these findings. If your ex is not filling in a tax return and you report him for fraud, it still doesn't help you gain child maintenance as there is nothing that can be legally claimed. Therefore, if you think you have a case for the courts you may wish to seek legal advice.

Maria 05/01/2017 at 2:23 pm

Hi,

I would like an advice. My ex partner is self employed, owes his own business and works every day . 4 years in the row the CSA decision was £0 to be paid towards the child support due to him earning £5 per week . And he has our daughter every other weekend. He clearly is dodging his tax returns to avoid payments . Can anything be done? I've contacted the tax fraud team but nothing seems to be done.

Many thanks.

AJ 03/12/2016 at 2:14 pm

I'm paying csa for my son who is disabled. His mother claims DLA for him. When he turns 16 I understand he will need to claim PIP and child benefit will cease. Would I continue to pay csa for him beyond 16 if he's claiming PIP and he stays in education until 19? He's has special needs so I've no idea what sort of education programme he would be following beyond 16 as he wouldn't be able to sit exams.
Thanks

H 10/10/2016 at 10:31 pm

I live with the father of our children but we are not together. We live separate lives. He's just informed me that he doesn't have to pay child maintenance since we are living under his roof. Is this correct?

Me 05/10/2016 at 6:52 pm

Hi I have a question, why after 12 months of a court order been in place for my childrens maintenance of £1100 my X husband can then pay just £20 to apply to the CMS and my maintenance can then be reduced to the CMS rates which are much lower than what the court ordered. Do I have to pay again for solicitors fees to apply to court to pay what he should pay for his children if he earns well over £85000.00 a year. It's a win win situation for him.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 03/10/2016 at 2:06 pm

I'm afraid that regardless of whether you agreed to have the child or not, then you are still the father and therefore financially responsibile for your child's welfare until your child finishes education.

s 02/10/2016 at 11:24 pm

hie.i have a question. I got a woman pregnant and we did not agree on having a baby.She told me she was on the pill and lied that she took the morning after.Now she has a baby and a partenity test proved that the child is mine.Am I entitled to paying child support? And is it always the same as when two people agreed to have a child together?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 13/09/2016 at 12:32 pm

If his salary is to drop by 25% then he can asked for this to be reviewed (if your ex pays via CMS), If he is not earning, then payments may cease.

Sjp 12/09/2016 at 5:20 pm

Hello I have a question my ex is remarried with 3 children he has had an accident and won't be able to work for a while he is a director for his own company with his wife he pays £26 a month his wife has just told me via email that all csa payments will be stopped is this true.

Julie0904 03/09/2016 at 10:09 am

I split with my little boys dad over two years ago and after not receiving any child maintenance and a claim from him stating he would never pay me a penny maintenance, I contacted the child maintenance service. However they said he is on nil income and therefore not eligible to pay! He is self employed and has about 30 properties that he rents out, three of these are abroad. He also has a scrap yard (in someone else's name) and numerous other assets. The CMS claim that inland revenue say he has nil income! How can this be! I know he declared about £32,000 the tax year that we split up! Off paper he is a millionaire! How can these men get away with this

CE 01/07/2016 at 4:28 pm

My CSA arrangement which has been in place for many years has recently come to an end and I have just received a letter regarding the new system which my ex partner has applied to (she has refused to discuss maintenance options as advised before applying to the new system) My son is now 18, and his mother has signed him up to a new basic level college course (the 2nd one in as many years as she had told him that she can't support him if he does not stay in education at this level). My query is whether I can now pay support directly to my son rather than to his mother due to his age? We live in Scotland, and I remember that under the previous agreement that he was eligible to apply for maintenance himself from age 14, but I cannot find any information regarding this in the new system literature. I appreciate that he would have to pay rent/contribute towards bills, but he would be able to arrange something directly with his mother, or he would have the opportunity to move into private accommodation, which is something that he has been looking into but can't afford at present as his part one job is not enough alone to finance it. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 03/06/2016 at 2:32 pm

You would need to contact the CMS directly regarding this.

Anon 03/06/2016 at 6:39 am

I have a case against me at the moment, it has resulted in a DNA test but the parent is not co-operating and not providing details to CMS of where I can send a payment so now nothing has been paid for 6 months and im worried I will get charged? The CMS have said I must pay in one lump sum but it's been 6 months already it will be impossible for me.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 05/05/2016 at 12:06 pm

In a word, yes. Your ex is allowed to claim from you. It may be the other father pays for his children hrough a family-based arrangement, or can't pay because he is unemployed etc.

Beakster 04/05/2016 at 5:04 pm

Hello I have recently split from my wife and she is trying to claim CSA of me, however she does not claim CSA off her other childrens father, is this allowed ?

Ellie 29/04/2016 at 11:55 am

Hi, I have one question and I couldn't find an answer for it at all.
I'm separating from my partner which means that I still live in his house (rented on his name only) and by email he agreed to give me money for our son this end of month but failed to do it and not responding to me at all. He pays all the bills in this house but I have to buy a lot of things for my child and don't have enough money to do it on my own. He left his house and I'm here with my son only.
Can I still apply for a child maintenance to get at least 50% off the whole payable amount since he covers all bills in this place until I find another accommodation for my son and myself? Or when would be the best time to apply for it, after I move out or what?
Thank you in advance
Thank you.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 18/03/2016 at 2:54 pm

Yes, you could organise to pay maintenance to the grandmother, in a family-based arrangement ( which means you would organise it between you). Likewise, if your child's mother/grandmother allows access, then you could arrange it between you. Otherwise, if you have Parental Responsibility you would have to apply through the courts for a C100 contact order, if you are not registered on the birth certificate, you would have to apply for Parental Responsibility and a contact order. Our Separated Dads partner-site may help you

Kahn 18/03/2016 at 6:17 am

Hi I just wanted to ask a question
I have a daughter whom I knew nothing about and then Afew years ago I came to know..the child's mother is not living with her she's got married and has told her grandmother to look after her do I still pay maintenance to the grandmother for my child and if I wanted to meet her could I

ChildSupportLaws Editor 01/03/2016 at 2:03 pm

Please see GambleAware website via the link here which will give you more information. If your son is not in full time further education, then you would not have to pay child maintenence. If he is running this website and not declaring it to the HMRC, and also in full-time education, then you would have to continue paying child support.

tel 29/02/2016 at 6:35 pm

does anyone know if there csa payments should cease if there 17yr old child is involved with two older males running a horse tipster website ie gambling on horse races is this considered as being self employed .also should he be doing this at his age

ChildSupportLaws Editor 24/02/2016 at 10:41 am

You personally have no responsibility to pay her father for your step-daughter's upkeep, unless you choose to. However, he may be able to claim child maintenance directly from her mother if her mother is working. This can be claimed under the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Order (REMO) agreement.

Dmytro Prytulak 23/02/2016 at 8:33 am

For the last 6 year's I have been living in Cyprus with my Wife and my 15 year old Step daughter, this September she wishes to go and live with her Father in England so she can do her A level exams up to now he has not contributed anything to her upkeep, but says that he will be seeking to obtain Family Allowance from me Is this possible?

Mels03 27/01/2016 at 7:50 pm

My ex hasn't paid anything for a while, I'm now trying to get sorted through CSM but my ex is still refusing from August to pay... He has built up arrears and has now decided to tell them he has both kids 3 times a week and all of summer holidays, this is untrue and has myson 2 nights at the weekend and a coup,e of wks in the hols and my daughter won't stay as he's ever really bonded with her? But he's saying this to get his arrears lowered, CSM are saying to prove that they don't, but how can I as I'm stressed with it all now?

Lules 21/01/2016 at 7:01 pm

My x pays through his employer after a long period of not cooperating with Csa.He was paying less money as he didn't disclose the 2nd employer.I asked Csa to investigate as I was sure he couldn't survive on the wage he stated.CSa found that he had a second employer and the payment went up.After the 1St payment he told Csa that he has the responsibility of two children. I have serious suspicions about this being true.He is capable of misleading and he might just register himself where these children live. I am sure they are not his.I don't know his address to be in a position to double check. What can I do to help in this situation.I can't afford private investigators.

tjay 14/01/2016 at 4:57 pm

what is the most amount of money can be taken from me including arrears

mummyof1 22/12/2015 at 11:22 am

Hi my ex partner has told csa he gets 30 pound more or less a week so I am only entitled to 7 a week however I know he works full time. Do csa check payslip at beggining of new claim and then how often after??

ChildSupportLaws Editor 10/12/2015 at 2:02 pm

The money you receive in child support can only be taken from his earnings, as his partner has no financial obligation to support her partner's (your) child. If you are claiming through the CSA/CMS, they will usually conduct an annual review of his earnings, I hope this helps.

Blondie 09/12/2015 at 10:01 pm

My ex pays £35 a week for our son. This has never increased and he sees our son for only 2 hours a week. He has a partner living with him and they both work full time. Can I ask for a review and is his partners wage taken into account ? I don't want to cause any trouble for them but feel with the expense of raising him alone, and the increasing costs, he should be awarded more taking this into account. Thanks for your help.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 20/11/2015 at 11:06 am

The CSA or CMS base child support payments on a person's earnings, so if she is not earning, then she will not have to pay. However, earnings have different definitions, please see article: What Counts as Earnings? here. I hope this helps.

Dixon10 19/11/2015 at 2:00 pm

Hi, I have got full custody of my son, my ex partner doesn't work but she doesn't claim benefits, she married and has two other kids, can I claim for maintenance payments from her?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 06/11/2015 at 2:21 pm

The CSA/CMS usually conduct an annual review. You don't say whether you go through either of these agencies, if you do, you will need to contact them directly. If not, and you have a family-based agreement, then you can approach your ex directly and agree this between yourselves, or possibly via mediation if you are not in contact.

Haylz 05/11/2015 at 9:59 pm

Hi I have x2 children to my x husband who has now remarried he currently pays me 205 pounds per month by standing over from his bank account into mine this was caluculated to him having the children over night once a week but it will be two yrs this February since he has seen his kids am I intitled to more money from him

liverpool 30/10/2015 at 9:35 pm

My husband pays child support to his ex for his 2 children age 15 and 17 . This was fine when he was getting access but that stopped in 2006 by his ex because she had started dating someone else and was pregnant she said the kids didnt want to know him but the youngest was only 6 and very young to make this decsion we trid to get her to go to mediation but she refused we tried letters from solicitors but nothing worked all through this hes been paying £298 when it was all 3 of his child the eldest is now 22 then it dropped to £271 which is still his regular payment we have no young children living with us and now im not working due to a disability we are struggling to survive . My question is does he still have to pay when she refuses him access every time we enquire they never listen i dont want to seem bad for this im only asking because it seems unfair to him when he wants his kids to come and stay but she wont allow it because she will lose money if they stay over night
I hope you can advise me what to do

ChildSupportLaws Editor 28/10/2015 at 10:02 am

It depends whether your daughter will be receiving benefits or not. Generally child support payments stop when child benefit does, Child benefit stops when the child is either in receipt of benefits, or is no longer in government approved education or training. It may be worth checking with the college your daughter attends in order to see whether she fulfils the criteria laid out in the link. I hope this helps.

Sleepyhead 66 26/10/2015 at 9:12 pm

I've been paying my ex wife child support as she has custody of our daughter. My daughter is how 18 and just had a baby boy. She was enrolled at college and they said she could study from home apparently. Is my ex wife still entitled to child support ? There seems to be no definitive answer I've been able to find ....thanks

Ariel 14/10/2015 at 10:15 pm

My ex partner has retired with a generous pension and still earns an income from royalties and lectures but says because he is retired he no longer is legally required to pay maintenance for his two children one of whom is at university and one at school. This is in Scotland. His payments had been voluntary and not done through the csa prior to his retirement. Is this correct ?

Ames 11/10/2015 at 5:17 pm

I'm in my early stages of pregnancy and already the father doesn't want anything to do with me or the unborn baby. He also denies he is the father. What's even more difficult I live in the East Anglia while he lives in northern Wales. With him not wanting anything to do with both of us how would I ever gain a DNA test and claim CSA? He's already threatened he's moving so I would no longer have his current details. What can the CSA do to help me?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 06/10/2015 at 10:35 am

I am sorry to hear this. You really would have to seek some legal advice regarding this, or a court order if you do not want to allow your ex back into the home. Depending on what country he is living in, you may also be able to get maintenance through the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Order (REMO) Unit, which helps to register and enforce child maintenance orders internationally, If you cannot afford legal advice, you may be able to get some free legal advice via the Citizens Advice Bureau. After the government removed help from Legal Aid, many people now self-litigate, please see link: Legal Aid Withdrawal: How to Represent Yourself, here . I hope this helps.

deejay 05/10/2015 at 10:52 am

My partner of nine years walked out and moved abroad. Myself and our two young children live in the house we shared though my ex partner's name only is on the house and he obviously pays the mortgage as it's his responsibility. He hasn't given me any money towards the upbringing of the children since he left a year ago. I am trying to claim maintenance but he says no. I can't rent anywhere else or get help with housing so am unable to move out, so another point is, do I have to allow him back into the home when I feel uncomfortable with it? I don't want him in the place I call home, yet he owns the house? I can't seem to get any answers from anyone and I can't afford a solicitor. I have health problems too and these are made worse by the stress.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 25/09/2015 at 10:59 am

If his wages change, then yes, if he pays through the CMS, his payment will be reviewed. Child maintenance payments are linked to earnings, and if his earnings drop, then his payments may fall in line with this.

Cherry 24/09/2015 at 8:49 am

Hi

My Ex and his partner are having a baby and they have decided that he will take some of the paternity leave. He says that since his wages will be lower due to being on paternity leave that he will be lowering the money he gives me. Can he do this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Cherry

Ms C 05/09/2015 at 3:58 pm

I have 2 children with my ex partner and contacted the CSA for help with payments for our children. When my ex partner was on jobseekers they deducted money from his benefits however when he became employed my payments stopped. The CSA contacted me to advise and said their next steps where to find out where he was working through the HMC as he was not responding to their letters. However 3 months have passed and the CSA have not located his employment. I contacted them to see the progress only to find out they had not contacted the HMC. They have advised they will do this however they cannot advise on a timescale as to when the HMC will respond. Please can you advise on this timescale and also any other steps I can make in order to assist in the payments I should be receiving from my ex partner?

Thank you and kind regards

ChildSupportLaws Editor 14/08/2015 at 1:48 pm

The Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Order (REMO) Unit helps to register and enforce child maintenance orders internationally, please see gov.uk whichYou can also see the list of country's where REMO can be enforced, whichI hope this helps.

NannaJ 13/08/2015 at 5:18 pm

I'm seeking advise on behalf of my daughter who has recently emigrated to the U.S. With my 11 year old grandson. Her ex partner was paying a mutual payment for support of his son, but since they have moved to US in April he has now refused to continue paying support for his son , saying he no longer is legally obliged to pay maintance now he no longer lived in the UK. Could anyone give me any advise that this is true or that he still has to legally pay support for his son regardless of where he lives

showbiz 31/07/2015 at 8:25 pm

My ex husband was paying £10 a fortnight throuh the csa as he was claiming benefits, haven't had any payments since january this year & when spoke to the csa they informed me that this is because he is no longer claiming benefits. He as just informed me that he cannot claim any benefits because his new wife is working. Can I claim child maintenance from his wife?

Col Editor 27/07/2015 at 1:41 pm

@Kate - if he is being off-hand and secretive then you may have no option than to go through official channels. This way at least you will know that you'll get the correct amount of child support.

Kate 24/07/2015 at 7:58 pm

The father of my children has a family agreement over the child support he pays. He was promoted (he's in the army) and has had a pay rise. The problem I have is he is refusing to tell me what he earns so we can use CSA guidance on what he should be paying for our 2 children (aged 5 and 3). I don't want to get CSA involved if I don't have to, is this fair or allowed? Does he have to disclose what hes paid or should I bite the bullet and get it done officially?

peahead73 21/07/2015 at 1:27 pm

Are the CSA allowed to tell the parent who will be receiving the child support how much the payer of the child support earns per month ? or it this a breach of Data protection act ?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 07/07/2015 at 3:15 pm

@Ricky - if he will be living away from home, you can arrange to pay your son directly (as child support is usually paid to the resident parent for your son's day-to-day needs). If he is not living at home, then this would not apply.

Ricky 05/07/2015 at 2:27 pm

I'm trying to understand what my obligations are exactly in this situation: I currently pay child maintenance to my 19 year old son, which has been a private agreement between his mother and myself since our divorce 6 years ago. My son has just finished taking his A levels and is hoping to go to university in September. Although I still wish to support my son through university, am I now still obliged legally to pay the mother child maintenance?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 02/07/2015 at 10:57 am

@Eazy - I imagine you would be better broaching this question with your ex, as it may be that if your daughter is still living at home then your ex will be providing day-to-day care which costs, so she may still need that help. If your daughter is continuing in full-time non-advanced education not higher than A-level equivalent, for at least 12 hours a week, then your maintenance payments will continue until your child finishes the course or school. However, there are certain higher education courses, such as apprenticeships, that do not count as full-time education, so it is important that you check with the CSA, as you may not be liable to pay, in which case you can then agree to pay your daughter directly if it is your choice to continue. You can access the government approved courses via whichI hope this helps.

Eazy 29/06/2015 at 1:22 pm

Hi My daughter is leaving school and going on to further education. She is 16 and a half and has a job working more than 16 hours a week. Do I still have to pay maintainance to her mother or can I give the money straight to my daughter. We have a private agreement overseen by csa.
Thanks in advance
ian

Ruby1 30/05/2015 at 11:07 am

Can I backdate child maintenance and pay once the marital home is sold?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 02/06/2015 at 10:10 am

@Arwl - paying child maintenance and whether you have visitation rights are not connected or quid pro quo deal to be made. If your ex decides to name you as the father, then you will be expected to help maintain your child financially whether you see your child or not. So, for instance if your ex said she still wanted you to have no contact, she could still contact the CMS and they will contact you for payment. However, you can apply through the courts to try to get contact, should she refuse. It means maintenance payments and child contact are two very different issues and not to be confused with each other. I hope this helps.

Arwl 29/05/2015 at 12:35 am

Hi there,

My ex partner and I broke up 8 months ago. About a month later she told me she was pregnant, which obviously was a little bit of a shock. After much deliberation (she doesn't have a great relationship with me) I took the decision that it was in the best interest for the child that I didn't have contact, as having experienced a broken home myself I know how detrimental it can be. She had told me she wanted and could look after the child on her own. But has subsequently informed me that she will be seeking maintain ends (which is fine and I would happily pay) however I did tell her that if that was the case I would be wanting visitation rights as obviously I am involved financially and would also want to be involved in the child's life also (which I always wanted to be but she had made it difficult from the start). All this being said, the fact that I had agreed to give up my rights. Will this affect my visitation rights for my child later?

Thanks

PayingDad 21/05/2015 at 5:17 pm

After some info ... my son has turned 18 & finishes 6th form next month, child benefit will then cease to be payed to his mum as it should ( now an adult ) but is it correct that I still have to pay, even if he has a job lined up. Surely the payment should cease at 18 regardless, same as the benefits???

Rosy 19/05/2015 at 10:51 pm

My son is paying maintenance for his 17 year old daughter who is in college. She now has a partner and is pregnant. If she goes to live with her partner does my son still have to pay maintenance to her. If she should choose to stay with her mother for a while does he have to pay maintenance to her. He just needs t know where he stands.

Jess Editor 01/05/2015 at 11:36 am

@liz - Unfortunately, you will just have to adapt to the situation as you would if you were still together. If he is not earning then he will not be expected to pay, or he may make an agreement to support you when and where he can.

liz 30/04/2015 at 10:48 pm

Hi my ex husband has told me he is being made redundant, we currently have a voluntary agreement for our 2 children. He is about to remarry ( no children) and they jointly own a property out right. Where do I stand if be stops voluntary payments due to redundancy? Any advice?

charlucy13 29/04/2015 at 8:50 pm

Looking for advice my partner has 2 kids from a previous relationship he pays CSA every month we have a daughter together and we've been talking about getting married I'm just wondering if we were to get married would CSA include my wages in the claim and rake my money

Abi Editor 27/04/2015 at 2:14 pm

@Em2015 -as a rule it is something you really have to decide between you. If you are getting the benefit of the house and he is having to rent somewhere, and is still paying the mortgage, then you may have to take this into consideration, but there is no real answer, you can only decide through fair negotiation.

Em2015 24/04/2015 at 7:17 pm

Does anyone know if my ex has to pay for the upkeep of the house. The house is in joint names with a joint mortgage. The windows urgently need replacing but I can not afford to do this my self, as joint owner, legally should my ex be contributing? Thanks

Lynne Editor 05/03/2015 at 11:03 am

@Gillster - it depends on whether he has agreed this with his ex and she is ok with the arrangement. If she is then this is a good way of doing it as it would show the CMS/CSA that he has been paying towards his children's upkeep and it will have receipts of proof of purchase etc.

Gillster 04/03/2015 at 11:22 pm

My partner has 2 children from a previous relationship. He was paying his ex partner maintenance every month. However his children were not seeing the benefit of his payments. Instead of making the payments direct to his ex partner he opened an account for each child and paid a portion of the money to them and clothed them with the outstanding balance. Is this acceptable or does he need to pay money direct to the mother of his children?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 17/02/2015 at 12:38 pm

@BertyD - Here is a link to NI direct on shared parenting, child support payments and how much you should pay here . I hope this helps.

BertyD 15/02/2015 at 10:28 am

My wife and i are separated and in the process of getting divorced. We have a daughter together but due to her shift work our daughter spends about 60% of the time with me, i take her to nursery and ive always said i would work around her shifts as an informal joint care arrangement. However now im receiving solicitors letters saying she wants child maintenance, but our daughter spends more days with me, so can she do that or do i have to apply for full custody? Thanks

Ash 04/02/2015 at 11:22 am

Hi I have a friend that is wondering if her ex partner (the father of her children) would still have to pay maintenance for one of her daughters who is 18, if she is still at college and just found out she is pregnant ?

ChildSupportLaws Editor 15/01/2015 at 10:07 am

@susieque13 - as we know children are expensive and it really depends upon his involvement. You could look at it two ways, firstly that his girlfriend is actually being sensible, children are expensive and this is just the start. So, in some ways she is thinking ahead because whether it is now, or later these necessities are going to have to be bought at some point. On the other hand, her pregnancy is in the early days and it could be looked at that she is being a bit too hasty. However, if he only put £25 per month away across eight months it would only be £200 which would not get you very far in terms of buying all that is needed. At £25 per week across the eight months would give £800 which is more realistic, especially if she is also contributing. It's a tricky one to advise on as it depends on how much support he aims to give, are they planning a future together? If so that realistically he will need to give as much support as he can as it can't be all down to her to shoulder the financial burden (assuming that she is also putting in money). Perhaps there could be some financial compromise. A lot of things will be bought from family and friends too and perhaps they should sit down and plan who might buy what, perhaps look at buying many items second hand, so they can lessen the cost. A lot of new parents tend to be idealistic about the things they think they need and that it all has to be new, but this is really not necessary and many items can be bought nearly new second hand. I think in this case careful planning is the key. I hope this helps.

susieque13 14/01/2015 at 3:15 pm

I have an 18 year old son with BESD, he has been with a girlfriend for about 8 months and they found out she is 12 weeks pregnant. All she wants from him all the time is money for maternity clothes, baby clothes, bedding,bottles, and wants him to put into her bank £25.00 a week until the baby is born so that she can buy everything. I have said no to this because I know he can not afford that and live himself on his ESA and PIP money.
Is there a law out that which has by passed me that says she is entitled to this, or am I right in thinking that until the baby is actually born, then he should pay for his child.
Please help

Jen 03/01/2015 at 9:25 pm

Hi me and my husband have just separAted we have 1 son together, and I have a son from pervious my husband though has brought my son up as his own from the age of 1. As we are married he is his step son so does he have to pay maintence for him and will it be the same amount as for our son?

shooby 06/11/2014 at 12:46 pm

My son is 16 and in full time education,he has a part I me job of 11 hours does his father still have to pay child maintenance,I am still in receipt of tax credits and child benefit

Chey 27/10/2014 at 6:58 am

Hi, my father has abandoned me and my mother for nearly 10 years, they are still married in court in the Philippines. Is there a way to know if my father is getting my child support without my knowledge? I am 17 yrs. old and never received any support since he left us.

Advise regarding my situation appreciated.

ChildSupportLaws Editor 17/10/2014 at 2:39 pm

@costa - whether or not you as the father has parental responsibility, you are still responsible for the financial support of your children and can be contacted by the CSA or CMS for money. However, as you seem to have sorted out your own agreement with regards to joint parenting, your ex might ask you directly to take on a bit more financial responsibility for your children while she is unemployed. On the otherhand she might not if she feels she can cope financially on her own and is happy with the arrangement the way it stands.

costa 16/10/2014 at 11:13 pm

My ex wife and I have shared custody of our two children. She just informed me that she will no longer be working as of Monday. Is this going to mean that she can take me for support?

Lou 03/07/2014 at 7:36 pm

Hi, my ex partner has a son who has turn 16 in April this year, he has just left school, how do I find out if he will go in to further education, or if my ex is still paying his ex?

peapid21 21/05/2014 at 5:56 pm

I have a friend who signed there home over to to ex wife with the agreement that she would not go for maintenance. Agreement was done on her solisitors headed paper and at the time he was on medication 4 depression. CSA contacted a few mths later about payments he as now been payin for 7 yrs. as she made that agreement nul and void.

Anna 15/05/2014 at 10:11 am

My ex husband & I split in 2004, after a messy divorce courts decided child payments of £230 for our 8yr old in 2006, he had his own company but paid himself the minimum per yr taking dividents out of the company to live on. The dividents he paid himself were thousands but not taken into consideration as it wasn't salary. It's been a struggle for yrs. he's managed to buy a boat! And periodical payments have only increased mthly payments to £280 PCM. Shes 16 & still has 3 more years of schooling left. Everything is do much more expensive. Have the laws changed to take into account his WHOLE income? Where can I go for help? Feel it's about time he paid what he should for her upbringing. He is single, no other children. Cannot believe the goverment would let this loop hole happen! Any advise appreciated.

Del 30/04/2014 at 6:23 pm

My step son desperately wants to live with his father and I, with his step siblings and half sister- he's just turned 10.. How does he stand with it all in regards to law etc, is 10 to young to determine where he wants to live? Many thanks in advance

Donny 29/04/2014 at 7:30 pm

How do I get my child maintenance term extended? My youngest son is 18 next month and I believe that my ex-husband will stop paying then? Do I have to go to a solicitor?

Sandra 31/03/2014 at 4:17 pm

My ex-husband pays £179 a month through CSA for our two children. I am about to go to college full time for two years and his earnings have increased since this figure was awarded so I told him I was going to ask CSA to reassess the support figure. He now says he wants my boyfriend (who does not live with me and the children and very rarely around them), to be assessed also and his contributions taken into account because he bought me a computer for my birthday and helped me to buy a new car. My boyfriend doesn't pay bills or buy food for me or give me money. So surely he should be kept out of it?

Aim to Resolve 04/11/2013 at 2:55 pm

I currently pay my ex wife £1,300.00pcm (£700 child maintenance & £600 for the mortgage on the house, which she lives in with my 2 children) I am now struggling financially. Do I have to pay the mortgage on top of CSA?

Jm 26/08/2013 at 2:07 pm

My husband and his ex has 50 50 custody of there son by order of the courts up til now we have payed the expenses of my husbands child when it's our days and his ex has done the same when it her days but now all of a sudden she's claiming CSA for the 3 nights a week she has him and we don't. CSA has said that as she claims benefits she automatically enititled to the amount from my husband and as long as she receives it my husband is no longer legally financially responsible for any costs of his child such as school fees clothing trips etc. we have explained this to her but she adimate that its not true but CSA carnt give us any documentation or enforcement for her to take on the responsibilty so now we pay our bills and her bills for the days we don't have him. How's this fair!!! Is there anything we can do? Please help thanks

Nick 22/08/2013 at 11:53 am

I have been approached by an ex girlfriend from 2001 saying that I have a daughter and she want maintenance for the last 12 years. Firstly I'm not sure if she is my daughter but do I have to pay if I am the father?

I have had not involvement of the growing up process and until 2 weeks ago I had know idea I had a daughter.

irresponsible 24/07/2013 at 6:39 pm

My ex boyfriend who I split up with when our daughter was 4 mnths old keeps cancelling his week end for having her he says he hasn't any money or he is going on holiday or has to work I know from his family this isn't true.i have been in touch with csa as he with holds £12 every other weekend to pay for her sometimes when I am desperate I have to do a 44 mile round trip to take her to him I only work partime I have told him that he is not going to mess her about anymore she is now 20 mnths old and that he has lost any rights to have her till he can be more responsible how do I get csa to give me the £12 back twice a month

sam 30/06/2013 at 10:44 pm

my son is in collage learning to be a joiner he will be nineteen in 22nd of july how long do i have to pay child maintance

Bua 08/06/2013 at 12:08 pm

Hi,I am a Thai woman who had an English boyfriend and before our relationship ended I got impregnated by him. We have met both in Thailand and in England and it was during my visit to England that the child got conceived.My questions concern two things:1. Can the father of my child be made to participate in hospital and medical costs for the pregnancy and childbirth and, if so, how do I go about making sure I get that help from him?2. What steps do I need to take to ensure I get regular child support from him? I would prefer that it went through the CSA since I do not trust him to keep his word if he says he will help.

CED 11/03/2013 at 6:13 pm

My ex-husband is currently paying child maintenance for our two children. We have been divorced for 6 years. The children are 12 and 16 both in fulltime education. My ex-husband is being made redundant at the end of May. What rights do I have? He lives in a three bedroomed house with no mortgage, i.e. owned outright, he has a working partner, savings, a new car and other assets. He has told me that as from the date of his redundancy I will be entitled to £5 per week. Is this correct?
I work 16 hours per week and have no other income apart from Child and Working Tax Credit and Family Allowance, I am unable to work much more than that as I have Bechets Disease and sometimes have long periods of been very ill.
I look forward to hearing from you.

Michael Edwards 30/01/2013 at 11:37 am

Sorry, forgot to add that they both work full time and one of the dads provides deals drugs and grows the plants at his flat.

JollyRoger 30/01/2013 at 11:34 am

Hi there. I have been with my partner for 6 years and she has 6 children ranging from 11 to 17 from her two previous relationships and we have one 4 year old daughter together. The father of four of the girls (13-17) has only provided £5 per child per week through CSA and the father of the other two (11 & 12) doesn't provide anything despite my partner going to CSA and getting told if she wants an investigation she must pay herself. I find this all odd as the fathers spend their money on holidays and drinking and entertaining women but aren't enforced in anyway to provide for their children. So I do that instead of them but then we struggle with rent and other payments and even though we claim basic working tax credits and child benefit, my girlfriend is told she is not entitled to anything else. But if they were a family unit, the money would need to be there for their children so why is this not enforced?

Tbos 24/11/2012 at 5:22 am

I am paying child maintanance for my 5year old boy,he lives with his grandmother in mahikeng,I pay the money by bank or by hand to his mother who' in joburg.My problem is she uses the child'money for drinking beer and smoking.what must i do and what are my rights as a father,please help me

debbie 21/11/2012 at 11:38 pm

my son is 18 april 2013 he attends collage 3 days a week and works part time when does his father have to cease maintance payments i have been told he has to pay until he is nineteen is this correct please

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