Child Maintenance Payments

[powders]

to ask what this money should and shouldn't be used for and when paying the CSA calculated amount each month that should be it, no additional money for extras unless a real one off.

My only knowledge is from reading threads on here (sorry) but my understanding is it should cover 50% of the cost of the child in terms of food, housing, heating etc not not really the cost of school uniforms or trips etc, they should (in an ideal world) be split 50/50 as csa doesn’t take any of that into account.

I think it should be used for whatever's needed, ie the running of the household, essential/extras for the kids etc.
I've never had any extra payments for any 'one offs'

I thought the payments were the bare minimum and can't see any problem with additional payments if needed/desirable

Why do you ask OP?

Well I imagine that if the children need things that the CSA payment won't stretch to it would be up to both biological parents to provide those.

I just wanted to get a view to be reasonable with DP's ex

I would say it should cover what the children need on a day to day basis. Especially if Mum works. Then you have to manage your household accordingly.
Should my DP be buying clothes etc to have at his house, shoes, school trips, piano lessons etc on top of maintenance when his Ex has paid for an extension, new TV and taken herself to New York???

Both your dp and his ex should work thro what the parent paying CSA will add in addition to CSA.

The parent receiving CSA can spend it how they see fit it’s towards maintenance for the child so will go towards living costs.

The NRP doesn’t have to pay anything extra, but a lot of decent parents do as they know childrens costs are more than most maitnenance payment amounts.

The NRP is still financially responsible towards his/her kids even if the RP is loaded.

It's their financial contribution towards the child's upbringing. It goes into the household pot of the resident parent to be spent as required on whatever is required.

The CSA payments are calculated on one parent's salary, taking account of that parent's other dependants. I know people who come away with £7 a week from their ex - clearly more is needed to cover a child's needs.

I'm guessing whatever your partner gives seems like enough to you. How much is it?!

I get £150 and have to cover a £600 nursery bill, while working part time. I can't work full time cos I couldn't afford the childcare. My ex and his partner begrudge it and act like I'm some grabby slob, his partner (who doesn't work) likes to text me tips for frugal living. They took three foreign holidays last year

It seems to me that usually as well as the csa min, most people also cover half of the cost of school uniform, school trips, holidays, shoes, clubs and that sort of thing.

Up to the pair of them whether they want to cart clothes back and forth but if non resident parent wants clothes at their own house, of course they should buy them. But be prepared for them to get muddled up or it be a logistical nightmare.

What his ex does with her money: extensions, holidays, yachts, gold plated bath taps, is all irrelevant.

The CMS amount takes into account what the NRP earns, doesn’t matter what the RP earns at all. Anyone with any decency, morals and self respect should and would pay towards taking care of their child. Also the CMS amount is the bare minimum what the NRP should be paying.

And it’s no one else’s business what your partners ex is spending her own money on. It has nothing to do with what child support your partner pays for his DC.

Should my DP be buying clothes etc to have at his house, shoes, school trips, piano lessons etc on top of maintenance when his Ex has paid for an extension, new TV and taken herself to New York???

Assuming your DP's maintenance is not her only income it's none of your business what she does with HER money, and how much she earns is totally irrelevant to how much he should pay.

Heaven forbid single mothers do anything but live on the bones of their arse.

Get it out your head that it's money for the ex - it's not, it's for HIS children. I assume you would happily take a holiday even though he has children to pay for?

And yes he should be buying clothes to keep at his house. I think the done thing is to also contribute additionally to School trips.

BTW OP if your DP is finding ways to pay as little as possible for the upkeep of his children I strongly suggest you don't ever have kids with him.

He should be paying the amount CMS say and then half of shoes, trips, piano lessons etc. He shouldn't be paying 100% of these costs if she can afford to contribute. I assume he has regular access and pays for things when they are with him too.
CMS payment is meant to be for basic living so food/housing/bills not for 'luxuries'

You sound lovely, OP. I pity the poor children when they’re with you.

Most parents know that the bare CSA is inadequate and OF. OURSE your DP should be paying 50% of extras and one offs such as school trips.

His earnings capacity is not hampered by child care and raising his children day to day.

If he’s not trying to cover 50% of the costs of children he fathered, he’s no kind of man.

Should he pay for clothes and shoes at his house?
Yes
Piano lessons and other extracurriculars?
If he can afford it and believes they benefit the children,then yes pay half.
School related stuff like uniform,trips etc?
Again,if he can the decent thing to do would be to pay half.
CSA is the bare minimum, an£it's supposed to cover some/half of the costs of housing,electric,gas,food,clothes,toiletries etc.

Do the children not go in the extension at their mother's house or watch the t.v.she dared to buy? If she can afford them, great. The kids now have a bigger home. She might have remortgaged etc. Not any of your business is it

Btw what she earns and what she does with the money is irrelevant as long as the children's needs are met. She could be absolutely loaded,the father still has a responsibility to provide for his children.

Oh the usual shite. She earns plenty, drinks vodka, has nice nails, wears designer clothes, goes out and - oh my goodness - did some home improvement so by default, the father shouldn’t have to pay to suppprt his children?

Get a grip.

Of course he should be paying towards those things fgs.

The cms is the bare legal minimum and unless your dp is a high earner it will go nowhere near to paying an equal share of the true cost of raising his child.

Considering you've been a single mum yourself it's surprising that you don't know the rules for CMS. He has a responsibility towards his children and shouldn't pay less just because his ex can afford certain things. I feel really sorry for these kids as it looks like you're trying to find any excuse to justify him not paying to support his children. Also, you've asked what you can do go sort out the situation with his ex? Surely you need to stay out of it? It's up to him to sort out.

CMS maintenance is not "meant" to be for anything in particular. It is the extent to which the law gets involved in setting child maintenance. It is both the minimum and the maximum a non-resident parent can be required to pay. It is not simply the "bare minimum". For all those saying any decent absent parent would consider paying more - it works both ways. The parent with care need not accept the full amount. It takes no account of the PWC's own income.

Assuming the payer's income is more than £10400 a year but less than £41600 the payer will pay 12, 16 or 19% of gross income depending on whether there are 1, 2 or 3 or more children to pay for. Someone on £40k a year would receive net income of £2539 a month. They would pay £400 a month for one child, £533 for two and £633 for 3 or more.

If the AP's income is more than £41600 a year the % apples to any income over that amount but under £156,000 is 9, 12 and 15% respectively. Again, that % is applied to the pre-taxed amount. So an AP on £100k a year will pay £838 a month for one child, £1117 for two, and £1363 a month for 3 or more. That's out of a net monthly income of £5481.

CMS is the LEGAL MINIMUM CONTRIBUTION a NRP should be making towards the upkeep of the children whilst not in their care.

Yes ideally your dp should have clothes at his house when they visit, if they come regularly, it saves hassle packing and washing etc.

If he has any conscience AT ALL he should contribute to enhancing their lives through extra curricular stuff, trips etc, although he has NO LEGAL OBLIGATION.

My ex only pays legal minimum and begrudges every single penny. He only sees the kids a couple of times a year but he thinks he's doing everything he can because he makes THE LEGAL MINIMUM CONTRIBUTION.

Don't be a dick op, you know kids cost way more than CMS payments cover.

And I went to the USA twice last year (once without kids!) courtesy of family, absolutely none of my ex's business how either trip was funded though.