To ask how child maintenance works?

[marcymoos]

Name changed as outing... split with husband earlier this year (he kicked us out for another woman) have a DS age 11 months.

He is on about 27k a year excluding tax. He has two Children from a previous relationship who he pays £190 a month for. He gives me £90. To me this is very low but he is saying he has called CMS and that's the right amount as he has pensions (I didn't even know they took this into account) also he said they take into account he has two other kids so it's lower.

He has never had DS over night so I think that's taken into account too. I have used the online calculator on the Gov website and it's basically telling me he should be paying double (at least) what he actually does.

So my question is... is what he is saying true or BS and should I just go through CMS myself ??

They count both. They take into account the children in his house and calculate how much he should pay in maintenance. That is then split between the children that don’t live with him.

Otherwise if they calculate it without taking them into account the amounts could be completely unaffordable.

Thank you for doing that for me Janus I couldn't get through to CMS today but have a referral number to call on Monday.
His two older children stay round Wednesday to Sunday every other week so they don't live there either.
I definitely don't owe him anything I just don't want to start another war with him if he is in fact paying me the correct amount. I have had enough stress the past few months!

Prosecco - £150 a month for four kids is ridiculous! Unless you mean a week or he has them half the time

If you were married why did you let him kick you out. You should go to cms for child maintenance and also see a solicitor about splitting family assets.

@pinkvoid that would absolutely enrage me. If he was half decent he'd make up the payment anyway. What a swine.

He has them two nights a week. No, I do mean per month. It’s calculated by CMS!

Definitely contact CMS yourself, however I can see you already are.

As for Prosecco, your payment sounds wrong.

For the OPs ex's wage, for 4 children with 2 overnights a week (assuming no £130 pension a month and no other children) it should be £77 a week. Not £150 a month. You need to get it checked. Unless he's paying loads in pension.

Prosecco, I’d suggest you look at that calculator too and if it still comes out wrong I’d ring and at least check quoting their online calculator??