Regarding paying for school residential trips

[HotChocolateLover]

Firstly, i’m Both a PWC and a step-mother and will not be saying which child this relates to so I can get an unbiased opinion. Child wishes to go on a residential trip costing £400. Does the CMS payment include residential trips or is this an optional extra that the NRP can say no to funding? Have looked online and all it says is maintenance is for general day to day costs of the child.

The decent thing to do would be to pay half.

I’d expect both parents to share the cost (who pays what % would be up for negotiation). I’d expect it to be an over-and-above contribution rather than taken from existing maintenance.

I agree, you should pay half each. CMS payment wouldn't cover this.

I'd say pay half is an extra above the usual day to day costs.

I thought it was meant to cover everything.

Are you talking legally or morally?
CMS is a minimum, NRP can agree to contribute more either on a regular or ad hoc basis.

What is PWC?

I would think paying half is fair. The normal child maintenance pays for normal child things-this is an extra.

Fair would be sharing the cost. Maintenance is for everyday costs of food, shelter, etc... and the NRP has no say on what that gets spent on. I share one off costs (like a bike upgrade, school trip) with my child’s father for instance but everyday clubs etc... come out of maintenance.

Half each.

The right thing to do would be to pay half each, though that could be hard to enforce if one of the parents is a bell end

Half each (or a different percentage if incomes are unequal) but both parents need to agree to the trip (or other significant purchase) child maintenance is for day to day expenses like housing, food and basic clothing. The crucial point is the nrp must be given the information and make a decision not simply be presented with a bill

A school residential trip is an extra over&above normal Child Maintenance. That doesn't mean it has to be 50:50 though - whichever parent has more capacity would be happy to pay more because a decent parent knows that this is about benefitting the child that they love, not using the child to be spiteful to their ex.

Child support is to cover the costs of a child so I’d expect it to include it. School residential are a normal part of a child’s life.

It would be fine to ask for a contribution but the person saying support could say that’s they already contribute.

I’d say the person claiming the child benefit should pay.

Thanks. Mostly what I was thinking, it’s just it can be hard to judge what’s best and right to do. Sorry for the drip feed, I forgot in the original post. What if the child will be going away with the rest of the family (paid for by the parent being asked for the school trip contribution) Do people think that changes things? It would leave the contributor with £200 less even though they are still giving the child something that they can both enjoy.

School trips and personal holidays are completely separate. The school trip (assuming everyone agrees it’s fine for the child to go) becomes a cost of his schooling.

The personal holiday is exactly that and each parent can choose to take the child on holiday or not.

...but is a cost of schooling over and above the everyday stuff that Maintenance payments would cover.

@thequaffle This is where my brain gets really frazzled about the whole necessary/non-necessary thing. The trip definitely isn’t a cost of schooling as it isn’t mandatory. The personal holiday certainly isn’t mandatory. I just can’t wait until the CMS days are behind us!

Legally of course no obligation but cms is a minimum and it’s unfair on the resident parent to take the hit
Is the NRP taking the child on holiday as well - still separate from residential

Yes, 50 50 still stands for the school trip and the personal holiday is seperate from this.
Unfortunately theres nothing you can do to make that happen. Morally it's the right thing to do.
Which situation is it one OP? Is it your own DC and a none paying ex or your SDC and it's your husband not coughing up?

This is a difficult one.

Legally CMS is all the NRP needs to pay, and if they don't want to contribute, you can't make them.

Morally, I think most of us would realise that a £400 trip is out of the ordinary, and both parents contributing to it would be fair. This would need to be agreed in advance with both parents though, as you can't assume that either parent can pull hundreds of pounds out of nowhere at short notice.

The personal holiday is not relevant.

@SandraoShair So it’s me considering asking my ex-husband for the £200. He was paying £50 a week up until about 3 weeks ago but says he’s lost his job. Anyhow, I know he’s got a holiday booked for DS and his other son plus 3 stepkids and girlfriend next year. I am just worried that if I ask for more then he will stop paying me at all (CMS unable to find a P60 since 2013, no bank account, benefits and two liability orders) I’m just weary and wonder if I should leave it for £200. I just am not sure if i’m Missing a trick and can force him somehow.

I don't understand the £200 less point.

Holidays and school tips are extraordinary expenses. Whoever is taking the child on holiday pays for the holiday. The school trip is separate.

Sounds rubbish x
You can't force him, you can discuss the proposed trip with him and ask him.
You can then decide whether the child goes on the trip given the ability to pay.

Personal holiday is irrelevant

The trip cost should be shared equally. Why should only one pArent be expected to find extra money to cover it?

You can't force him, unless there are court orders stating that half of all extras are paid equally by both parties. You can ask, but the holiday planned for next year is t a consideration- you don't know how that's being funded, if she is covering them all or what his percentage is. Asking is not unreasonable, but he has the choice to say yes or no. Ultimately it's up to you if you can cover the whole cost or not.