Child Maintenance

[Passthebiscuitspls]

Hi,
I'm currently in the process of divorcing my husband as he's been having an affair. Anyway, initially when I looked into child maintenance I went on the CSA website and it told me a figure, which was just shy of a third of his net monthly salary. However, it seems to all have changed and the CSA has gone and been replaced with 'Child Maintenance Service' which is quoting me less per month than the CSA did. Is this right?

I was under the impression it was about a third of their net monthly salary. Have I made that up?

Any advice would be really appreciated, I'm panicking!!

[Phillipa12]

You have to take off pension contributions first and then factor in any overnights your ex will have them and it will then calculate the minimum amount that your ex has to pay.

[TheNaze73]

There's a lot more to it than just rounding it up to a third of his salary. Somebody on another thread 20% per child was nearer the mark however, Phillipa12 is right as well

[Passthebiscuitspls]

So does that mean that the child Maintenance service is right?

And 20% per child seems a lot if you have say 4 children? X

[Angrybird123]

It's not 20% per child. Its not to hard to use the calculator of you know his salary, pension contributions and number of nights the children stay with him. Please do remember though that cms is a MINIMUM - unless your ex is a very high earner it wont come near to 50% of the costs of raising them. Discuss with your solicitor ways of ensuring a greater amount than the minimum of you feel it's needed and fair.

[Bct23]

It was around 25% increasing slightly for each child but decreasing for nights they are with him.

[Bct23]

It won't come near to 50% cost of raining them? How do you know that? 50% of what?

[LonelyinScotland]

I get less than 20% of ex's salary for 2 primary school aged children. By the time it's taken from his wages and pay the privilege of that I get a pittance whilst he lives mortgage free and has a disposable income. To set the scene he earns approx £20k

[donners312]

I thought it was 16% of their gross salary less pension contributions. Luckily these twats get to keep the other 84% for themselves so at least they are ok.

My ex refuses to work so he doesn't have to be any - he is not legally obligated so he doesn't pay it.

[Tinkerbec]

It used to be 25 % net for 3
20 for 2
and 15 % for 1.

Now its pre tax calculations, so people can't hide bonuses etc. So not sure how it works.
I use the old way as a guide.

[Angrybird123]

I mean roughly - obviously every single case is different but if I didn't have to house my two dcs permanently and have all their stuff here i could have a smaller place. If I didn't have to think about school catchment I could live in a cheaper area. Their food / clothes / toys / hobbies / pocketmoney etc. Add it all up and what most NRPs pay doesn't come close to half - and that's leaving aside the fact that RP are effectively providing free childcare unless there is a 50/50 arrangement. If I ringfenced the same % of my salary as my ex pays and only used that much on the kids and kept the rest exclusively for my own use i'd be carted off by SS. The CMS is a starting point - what the government set up to force reluctant absent parents to pay SOMETHING but unfortunately it is now used as a benchmark of what is 'fair' when in reality it is rarely anything of the kind.

[YazooAddict]

It's interesting that people seem to think the figures are less than is required to support a child.

I pay over 200 pounds per week plus spousal and 50 percent of school costs.

I got no equity from the house so am starting again.

My disposable income is far less than my ex, and I'm pretty sure I pay more than one child actually costs.

How much more would you suggest I pay?

[LonelyinScotland]

Yazooaddict- i can only speak for my circumstances but it costs a lot more than £19 per child per week to live. Ex seems to think maintenence means he doesn't have to provide clothes/uniform/clubs/cubs subs so I'm paying way more than half. I don't think it's as easy as a set percentage but if he has no rent/mortgage costs yet I do then in my mind that's unfair that he has 80% of his salary to spend on himself where I have virtually nothing after bills

[memyselfandaye]

I'm sure it's around 15% for 1 child and 20% if there's more than 1 with the same Mum.

However the first £100 of his salary is'nt counted.

Then it changes if he has more kids with someone else.

[Angrybird123]

yazoo if you are paying that for one child then yes that seems reasonable- presumably you earn a fairly hefty salary. That's fine. The issue is with people in an average or low salary where the % set by cms simply doesn't generate a reasonable amount of actual cash - and as stated above the RP will have a million more expenses and inconveniences than the NRP who typically (though of course not in every case) only sees the kids at weekends at doesn't need to juggle work / school run / sickness etc.

[Lifeisabloodysoap]

I get 18% of my ex's salary! That's for 2 kids under 4. They have no over nights in fact he cancelled all contact 8 months ago! I pay the mortgage for the house both our names are on! Everything for the kids nursery etc etc
It doesn't seem fair at all! The best is he was angry I went to cms because he needs his money to "have a life"

[AliceInUnderpants]

Yazoo are you paying £200 pw through the CSA?

[YazooAddict]

CSA would be marginally less I believe, but thereabouts