Child maintenance and childcare

[Watermelonbonnie]

I work full time - having trained for the last 3 years for my job.
My ex works full time, he gets a company car fuel, and house for a reduced salary but still earns over 21000
We have 2 children
My ex does not see the children -his choice
One child has autism
This month my childcare costs have been £1300
Albu to think its unfair that he doesn't have to contribute towards childcare cost?. Work is my escape from what I can describe as a tricky home life. One may argue that he isn't the one putting the kids in childcare so why should he have to pay, but my argument would be if he saw the kids I wouldn't have to put them in it so much and I'm paying it so that we can both work full time..

I guess I'm just frustrated.

You're right, it's a ridiculous system.

The resident parent is assumed default childcare, whilst the NRP can work full time or not at all with zero contribution to the cost (or complications) of childcare.

If resident parents were usually male I bet the system would quickly be changed.

I have 4 kids with my ex oldest has autism, he doesn’t pay a penny in maintenance Zero and doesn’t see them at all, it’s not fair but what can you do, it’s never going to change

I find this system so bizarre, as the childcare enables both parents to work so why don't both have to pay for it? Really don't see where the child sleeps having anything to do with who pays for their care during work hours. Me and my ex have always split all childcare costs.

Yanbu.
How much does he have to pay in child maintenance?

Yep it's shit, and unfair on so many levels. Not much else to say really.

My childcare for my two dc when then we're younger was £800, my ex used to give me £250 a month. Not even half the childcare, not to mention housing costs, food, clothes etc etc...

Not been in this position but I think it's totally unfair that childcare costs can swallow up all of the RPs income and not the NRPs, and the NRP has to pay the same whether the child is in childcare or not...madness

Totally unfair. Child maintenance needs a complete overhaul.

The whole system is unfair and penalises the RP. Not taking childcare costs into account, reducing CM if the NRP has more DC/mo es in with someone else's DC, the ridiculously low amounts, the lack of consequences in the event of non-payment... It's almost like the system was designed by an NRP

But you get most of childcare money back via UC, free childcare, etc?