Child maintenance

[Liz2805]

Hi, I'm in the process of separating from my partner and working out what maintenance he needs to pay. Ignoring the partners that don't provide properly for children, how do people factor into childcare costs?

Do partners pay a certain amount of maintenance and a portion of the childcare on top, or is the maintenance intended to be inclusive of childcare costs?

Tia x

[Caribbeanyesplease]

There is no obligation for the other half to pay anything than that required by CMS

However if he is reasonable, he will contribute

Mine does but it involves an open good relationship

[Caribbeanyesplease]

And CM is based on salary NOT on costs unfortunately

[Liz2805]

Thank you x

[MissedTheBoatAgain]

To OP

There is an online calculator that will give you a child maintenance figure. All you need to know is Ex's earnings and the number of nights children stay with Ex. Link is:

www.gov.uk/calculate-your-child-maintenance

[Seniorschoolmum]

Agree with Caribbean, it takes a good relationship but it can be shared evenly. It make take a while, after the split for things to settle down.

I pay childcare costs and bill my ex half of the amount at the end of the month.

He moaned once about the cost of summer holiday care so I suggested he take three weeks off work and look after his ds for his half of the time instead.

He hasn’t grumbled since.

[Liz2805]

Thank you everybody.

[PatheticNurse]

Mine did pay CMS calculation but has recently increased it voluntarily as he said he had a pay rise. He also pays half of school uniform/trip costs. Half of activities - although he did say that the boys had to cut down on their activities as he couldn't afford them but was spending out on himself . This was all in a Court Order though