Why are nursery fees not included in child maintenance?

[haeesgy]

Yes, I know it’s the resident parent’s choice whether to send the child to nursery… but the reality is it’s either that or don’t work..!

I would LOVE ex to have 50/50 care of our child. I didn’t have a child expecting him to turn up once a week (at best) for half a day. I didn’t want this, he left.

And now I’m left with child maintenance which is a long way from half nursery fees. Why is nothing done about this? Women treated appallingly again.

For all the things America do wrong they do This right.

Both parties infront of a judge. All child expenses declared and parents expenses.
Tough shit if you're unemployed it's based off your last wage or minimum wage.

And if you don't pay you actually get punished.

Oh come on how many women do you think want this? Practically none! I posted on another thread saying I think the ideal is 50/50 and posters were horrified I “only wanted to see my children50% of the time” 🙄🤦‍♀️

You’ve posted about this countless times op. Try getting £7 a week maintenance which is what I get. £500 a month is a decent amount for one child and it’s not meant to cover nursery fees but you know that as you post about this regularly

This! This I couldn't have said it better

YANBU - the default starting point for maintenance should be 50% of the cost of full time childcare/wrap-around, plus an income based % for additional costs. That would enable both parents equal opportunity to work.

The thing which is odd about child maintenance unlike other woeful systems and policies to be designed as antagonistic as possible is that even parents who earn incredibly well and have the benefit of occasional grandparent support and no financial worries still bemoan the extortionate cost of childcare.

Now let's live in the real world shall we.

A paying nrp will potentially be losing 20 percent of wage for depending on how many children. Factor in childcare and he will be unable to afford to live as will be entitled to very little.

A RP will be entitled to universal credit, child benefit and maintenance and yet wants more money for childcare.

Should be 50/50 than not an issue but this wouldn't suit the rp as not entitled to maintenance.

@CharliesAngels81 that’s a good point when you compare that the resident parent might be claiming universal credit. I still don’t see how two parents earning similar should mean one pays a third and the other pays two thirds.

But from your previous posts it seems like neither you nor the father of the children work, so there is no childcare cost for you? Why, in your opinion, child maintenance does not have to cover childcare?

Nice little assumption you’ve made there Im a full time carer for a disabled child so if you had bothered to ask rather than assume you would have known that. I can’t work because my child CANT attend child care 🙂 don’t assume next time when you know nothing my child is severely disabled and gets HRC dla and I care for her 24/7 as she is unable to attend school and I’m a full time carer. Ops child won’t be in nursery forever then she will have £500 a month and no nursery fees. It’s not “what I think” it’s the law, child maintenance is a percentage of income and does not cover nursery fees that’s a fact and not going to change no matter how many times the op posts this.

Err... I did not make an assumption or judged you in any way, just stated the fact? You don't have childcare costs so it is not applicable to you, but if you had, why don't you think the child maintenance should not cover these in a way that it is fair between the parents?

😂😂 yeah nice try. I don’t have child care cost because my daughters disability is too complex to attend child care.
and has been out of school for 18 months as no school can meet needs so I care for her 24/7 and receive £7 in maintenance and can’t work because of her complex needs. But you tried to make out I was work shy. Nice one. Even if this wasn’t the case I would agree that nursery fees aren’t part of child maintenance but nice little dig you tried there! 🍀 the ops child CAN attend child care isn’t it. I can’t even go to the shops with my child 🍀

It’s just the way it is and is in some ways illogical.
the maintenance requirement bears no relation to the actual cost of caring for the child, it’s all about the non resident parent’s income and a fixed percentage of that.
Then on top of that he could have another child and have to pay less.
I see the point that if they don’t have it they can’t pay it but there is an argument for it to be more related to actual costs.

I don’t think it’s fair but I don’t know what the answer is.

Resident parents aren't men.

If it helps I paid in 2006 - 500 gbp for three full days of nursery for my baby boy. I worked and paid it myself. It included pampers so was quite good. I dread to think what it would cost today.

I can see it is a sensitive topic for you so won't say anything else, but not everyone is out there to get you, and at no point did I call you work shy or tried to make a dig. It is just that the reality of having to pay 1-2K for childcare is quite unfamiliar to many people, even mothers, unless one has actually been in the situation.

Were you married OP?

I just thought that it was during the financial settlement part of the divorce where we got to negotiate costs on top of maintenance?

The real question should be why doesn't the government want to invest in childcare by making it free/very affordable so that most single parents can afford to work and have careers like the absent parent can. Why do they want so many children to grow up in poverty continuing the cycle of deprivation?

Children are for their parents to pay for, not taxpayers. The assumption that taxpayers must pick up the deficit, for the good of the country, as mentioned above, is exactly why NRP’s can get away with not paying.

I agree the NRP should be made to pay, but on the proviso the RP is working.

Really curious to know what you put in. How many kids? What salary? What childcare costs? Sounds pretty implausible as its currently capped at £1,630.15 a month for two or more children but would be good to see your figures.

Do you rent or have a mortgage? If you rent, you might be eligible for UC. If you have a mortgage, you might still get about £10 per month, which probably wouldn't be worth claiming.

Could you point me in the direction of this info? Not trying to challenge you as a whole heartedly agree but it would be useful to have some info to back this up in the future if needed.

Do you really think that the real question is why shouldn't tax payers fund free childcare for all so that feckless fathers don't have to pay reasonable costs towards their children?

Absolutely! Why should men get away with leaving their families with so few consequences? You can bet the ones that pay the bare minimum are also the ones that move on to another woman, have another family and then fuck off again!

Any financial consent order can be overridden by a CMS decision.

Said it before,I'll say it again:

Childcare needs to be subsidized

From birth

Like sane countries, Norway, Canada etc

Should be 50/50 than not an issue but this wouldn't suit the rp as not entitled to maintenance.

Read the post by @Goldbar

My exh doesn't know the names of our kids' teachers or friends. I'm not even sure he even knows what school year they're in. He won't keep any toys or clothes at his place despite me buying them. For the last parents evening, I organised the time slots that he wanted then he didn't show up. You think he would agree to 50/50? He struggles with EOW!