To be shocked that the resident parent has to foot the nursery bill?

Yes it’s shit what mainly men get away with and there is no real CMS enforcement. Men often don’t pay anywhere near the cost of raising their child when they split with the mother. They seem to think or pretend they do though. Much respect to single mothers that ensure their children’s needs are met regardless

The rp is also the one eligible for child benefit, UC including childcare costs and CM. And there is a very generous amount of free childcare hours in this country.
In reality a lot of NRPs are worse off than RP if they're not in a high paying job and aren't in a houseshare due to having the children overnight.
UC tops up wages like another adult contributing whereas NRPs who are decent still have accommodation costs to meet on one wage.
It's different if the NRP is a high earner, but in that case CM should reflect that.

The solution to this is for 50 50 to be the default custody split. That would mean that both parents would pay whatever childcare they needed on their time.

I think 85percent is a lot more than touching the sides. It's paying almost all of it.

Yeah my best friends partner cheated on her, kicked her out and now she has to pay for the full nursery costs for her child as he won’t pay anything towards it.

Well, the father should pay for half of it or arrange half the required childcare. Also, the subsidy as you put it is £1014.63 per month for 1 child or £1739.37 for 2 or more children or 85% whichever is lower it doesn't touch the sides of the cost

I think Universal Credit paying up to 80% of nursery fees as it is currently is the better option. Unfortunately, far too many men don't pay for their child anyway and it isn't going to start if child maintenance is changed to include nursery fees.

The only way around it maybe would be jailing men who refuse to pay and include half of the cost of nursery frees with child maintenance.

Okay and how do you enforce it? CMS isn’t enforceable as is, many shit men will just go off unemployed or cash in hand. I am not agreeing with it AT ALL but you don’t have to look far to see men aren’t punished now for not paying maintenance I don’t see what you could do to make an unwilling scum bag pay if he just gives up work or does cash in hand.

How does that work if the father doesn’t earn enough to pay 50% of his ex partner’s living costs? It’s a great soundbite, but completely unworkable.

I also 100% agree maintenance is shit btw and have said before on here a minimum rate set and paid by the government and then clawed back for life by then should be the minimum rather than a shitty £7 a week because stoped working or working cash in hand.

You’re being pedantic now. The point was when you book your lovely nursery or childminder that you love like trust that’s fine but if you want half of it covering if he decides to pick the cheapest place possible or a mate you have to accept that as well.

It’s already so easy for men to not pay maintenance, I agree it should be harder and they should have to pay half of all costs. But I don’t know how you do that.

Universal credit should support mothers, if they qualify they will pay up to 80% of childcare costs. I completely agree with you OP that they shouldn’t have to, but how do you make a man pay for childcare costs he isn’t incurring and can argue against?

YANBU OP. I have a male friend who split from his partner a year ago and was moaning to me about his ex wanting more child maintenance and slagging her off for it claiming it all goes on stuff for her. I told him he’s not even paying the bare minimum currently as he’s not covering half the nursery fees and has left her to foot the bill. It got me blocked for a couple of months but I stand by what I said.

Oh rubbish, there are many ways this could be done including taking a notional amount based on average costs in the local area to the child.

There is no excuse or justification for one parent to opt out of supporting their own child.

Let him have 50% say in the childcare then. For 50% of the time he can pick what where when the childcare. Even if it’s a random mate for free or the nursery you hate.

Too many variables that might mean a man has to pay 50% of childcare costs so let’s push all costs onto the mother 👍

Tbf lots of 50/50 custody now so they are paying half in those situations.
For those on low incomes, the tax payer pays the majority.

It’s not abusing women as a thing. It’s the RP tho yes more are women.

It’s just a simple case of person who needs the childcare is the one who pays. So as I said unless you can force the NRP to parent equally they don’t need the childcare. Unless you want the NRP having a say in which childcare settings you can use? Or insisting that their best mates aunties cousin will
Do it for free?

It’s very shocking I agree with you.
Fathers seem to get away with a lot still.

Both parents should pay, since both parents are enabled to work by the existence of childcare. Basic maintenance in most cases does not cover the cost of childcare, despite the non resident parent being a beneficiary.