maintenance, contact and childcare

[holdmybeer]

I seperated from my ex 14 months ago and have been receiving regular maintenance payments (minimum csa reduced to 5/7 as 2 nights per week contact) plus ex has been paying 1 day per week childcare as 1 night of contact he collects from nursery then drops back the next morning.

Ex earns £30k pa more than me but has advised he intends to cease paying childcare as he can't afford it.

Does anyone have any advice?!

[STIDW]

Parents can agree any financial arrangement for children between themselves but your ex's liability under the statutory schemes would be for the child maintenance amount calculated by the CSA or Child Maintenance Service and no extra.

If you work and are on a low income you may be eligible for working tax credit to help with the costs of childcare.

[holdmybeer]

Thank you. I do work and tax credits will cover most of the additional cost but it feels morally wrong that tax payers and myself should foot this bill whilst my ex is still able to afford most of the luxuries he did before he chose to walk out on us! (I can't, I've had to go without and cut back in every possible way)
I also wonder why should I pay when it's not me using childcare but my ex? What would happen if I simply informed nursery that my child will not be attending on the day that my ex drops off?

[girlywhirly]

You could re-arrange the contact so that he doesn't need to use a nursery, if that is possible. Does EX pay for anything else for the DC aside from maintenance, such as some clothing, shoes, presents apart from Christmas/birthday?

[holdmybeer]

There are 4 days a week that we both work I'm currently paying for 3 days childcare (supported by tax credits) and ex pays for 1. Ex wants midweek contact but surely by deducting maintenance he has to accept the cost of actually maintaining our children?!

Ex doesn't pay for anything other than cm. Dc have clothes at ex's bought by mil and under strict instructions that they're not to go to mummy's house...

[Lasvegas]

Child maintenance calculation is a joke. The parent with care is usually worse off if they have to pay for childcare. Many years ago i received via CSA £40 a week, nursery per day was £70. I worked so needed nursery 5 days a week. I got the same £40 a week once DD went to school, yet the child care costs were a lot less.

[holdmybeer]

That's exactly my point lasvegas no doubt when I'm no longer paying for childcare ex will think he's paying me too much as my costs will have fallen