Child maintenance question. Is there a cap for 'additional children'? He's out to hurt us again.

[birleywoo]

Ex has messaged me to say he's contacting cms and the payments he pays for ds will be going down.

• he has 3 children now including ds from 3 separate relationships. He pays maintenance to each mother (don't come at me) and doesn't have over nights stays with 2/3 children.

We separated 6 months ago and he moved on straight away. His new partner has 3 children. She's now pregnant with his child. He is moving in with her and will be adding her 3 children on to the claim plus when their baby is born, he will be letting cms know and expects his payments to go down.

This will mean he will be financially supporting 7 children in a matter of months. Do cms have a cap on children?

P.s my ex is a narcissistic twat. I've been in therapy for 2.5 years trying to escape him. I have and he continues to abuse us.

It isn't a cap as such. The non resident parent's income is reduced by upto 16% for calculation purposes. So more children can mean less maintenance.

As far as I remember the percentage discount for children living with you stops at 3 so there might not be much of a change when the baby is born but there might a drop when her 3 kids are added.

Like fuck he’ll be supporting her children. He’s just playing CMS to reduce his payments.

This is certainly how it looks if you plug figures into the CMS online calculator

I've tried to do the calculator but I'm not sure I understand how to do it. It does say how many children would live my ex and only gives an option of '3 or more' so I did wonder if the cap was 3.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I had a similar relationship, so I wish you all the best with healing - sending you love.

I think it’s so scummy that parents are able to get maintenance down for children that are not theirs. So often those children in the household get maintenance from their other parent and in the eyes of cms have that money as extra payment for those kids. So they end up benefitting and the biological children end up suffering.

My ex cheated on me when I was pregnant with another pregnant woman (not his kid). They moved in before either of our babies were born and as soon as I put him on cms as he refused to pay a penny, he claimed the other child on there to get his payments down. Don’t either have more kids, or take on someone else’s kids if you can’t pay for your own.

Thank you for posting. It's awful. Just another spiteful thing he's done. I only applied as he paid nothing for 3 months. Then called me 'jealous' of his new found happiness when he received letters threatening court due to his arrears.

So sorry you have been through it too. I've cried all day today. My son doesn't see him much which is the main thing

He’s already got 3 children from 3 different relationships so why the shock at him having more? He’s not having a child to spite you specifically, he’s just carrying in what he’s already done. Of course his maintenance will N I down as he has more children to support from his 1 income. The maintenance to his other children would have also gone down with the addition of your DC.

That's such a kind, helpful post you've put there Overthebow. That's just the reassurance and kindness the op was looking for after a day in tears worried about how she's going to support her child.

Not.

I've not said it's a shock - it's not. I've also not said having another child is spiteful. I meant purposely messaging me to tell me I am going to struggle even more to support our child is spiteful.

Also there is a difference by adding another 4 children onto this so therefore I am asking if there is a cap on this. I am already aware my son's payments will be reduced.

If he's adding her three existing children, as children living with him, then that will reduce his payments a bit, but since "3+" can mean 3 or 12 etc, neither this baby or any more with her, will reduce it further. (When he leaves her it will be all change again, though.)

Is that what you're asking?

@Cloverforever thank you - I was just replying to this too.

I feel extremely disappointed in myself for having a child with such a nasty person. He's one of the most charming people you could ever meet.

However my son is amazing, I wouldn't change him for anything and love him with all my heart. It's my aim to make sure he turns out nothing like his father.

Possibly - you may have answered my question.

I should have worded it better but it's been a long day.

Basically is there a limit to the number of children living in 1 household with a paying parent that can affect the amount of child maintenance paid.

That's probably worded no better sorry.

His eldest child is 18 so I know he won't be paying for him for too much longer.

None of us word things perfectly when we are frazzled. Sorry he's such a git.

It is. It stops at 3 or more

Basically is there a limit to the number of children living in 1 household with a paying parent that can affect the amount of child maintenance paid.

Yes. Three is the cap.

Him adding the step children has changed it. This baby won't change it again. He can have triplets with her next year and - as long as he l stays living with her - it won't cause any more changes to the CM.

Ok thank you for confirming. There was an issue when I applied as he still had other children on his maintenance account - long story but they only made a difference by a few quid each week.

The calculation I've just done shows it goes down by £4.80 a week so not too bad

So he's lives with another woman with children between your split 6 months ago and this new relationship now?

You're in for a bumpy ride with half siblings and so on.

LIVED.

🤦🏼‍♀️

No lol. Sorry it's probably me that's worded it completely wrong. One of those days.

We separated 6 months ago. He moved straight on to the new woman and her kids. Now she's pregnant with his child so he's going to officially move in. He's been living there for the last 6 months but I'm guessing not contributing to the household financially.

Now she's pregnant, he's going to tell cms he's moved in and add her 3 children onto the claim. Then he will call them again when his baby is born - which I'm now told won't make a difference to his claim. He will be gutted about that!

A very messy situation. My son was supposed to see his dad tomorrow but has been let down yet again. The whole situation is a complete mess.

I was the only one stupid enough to marry him so have filed for divorce

Now she's pregnant with his child so he's going to officially move in. He's been living there for the last 6 months but I'm guessing not contributing to the household financially.

Ah.

Well good luck on your divorce and your new life.

I viewed it this way, the only way to get to me now was to reduce maintenance so once he did it it was no longer a threat or worry. The worst had happened and we carried on. Let him do it because everytime he reduces something he looses a touch more control

That's a good way to look at it - thank you.

I have learnt to not rely on him. I don't ask him for anything. Barely speak to him unless it's child related and limit contact as much as I can.

I just feel an idiot for believing how he was a good person.