How would you change child maintenance?

[CountessaExplainsItAll]

I’d make it direct pay as standard, coming from PAYE wages, like an unavoidable tax which is paid when they are.

I’d make arrears payable over the next tax year. If unpaid, assets should be seized.

I’d increase the percentage of salary paid by NRPs with no overnights significantly. NRPs who do weekly overnights have much higher costs than those who don’t.

I’d stop the reduction for NRPs living with other children they haven’t created or adopted.

I’d make maintenance count towards means-tested child benefits. If the NRP legitimately can’t pay (for instance because the parent is dead) then the state should.

I’d punish self-employed tax evaders more severely (not sure exactly how).

You?

I’d abolish it.

Parents get 22hrs a week free for babies over 9 months old now (averaged over the year), plus 20% off tax free, plus more if you’re on universal credit.

Nobody can’t afford to work anymore.

Suprised it took this long for someone to write this, it's always how I have thought it should work. Much increased minimum amount and if it isn't directly paid from wages/benefit or savings it works like a benefit debt. So it can be taken at a set rate even from your pension and then your estate when you die.

I'd still have an increased amount depending on NRP net worth/ earnings just have the minimum be much higher. I'd have the goverment pay it to the RP like UC and then they collect however they can from the NRP.

If the goverment actually guarantees the payments, they can then reduce UC by that amount and actually save money. While making the system fairer for single parents who's ex's are responsibility dodging sods.

Should I do a separate itemised food shop for DS? Time him in the shower? Monitor his electricity usage for this purpose? Use a mileage sheet for car journeys for him? Measure out his and my milk from the carton? And what percentage of the mortgage should I allocate for him?

It's a moot point anyway as ExH is declining to pay CM and CMS are doing nothing about it

I think CMS should be dealt with case by case as opposed to a blanket rule. Too many NRP’s hide earnings, refuse to pay and it only spites the child. On the other hand too many RP’s limit access as it would lead to reduced maintenance which again comes at the expense of the child.
I also think it is wrong that CMS calculations are taken off of Gross Pay, whilst everything else which as mortgages/rental agreements are taken off of Net pay which is for affordability issues.
If both parents are wanting too be in a child’s life, I don’t think one parent should be unable to afford rent etc due to having to give the other parent an unaffordable amount due to the way it is calculated.

I agree with all of the above and would vote for any party that put that in their manifesto. It should be taken like tax and NI.

What should the cost of raising a child be?

I'd also include receipt of CM when awarding benefits. Make it properly fair all round.

The cost of childcare or lost economic opportunities due to taking on a higher share of parenting load is way more then the direct cost of things the kids need, so I'd design it based around compensating the other parent for taking on the bigger share of labour.

I'd have a set base rate for each day below 50/50, to account for the labour, then a smaller % of pay on top.

So 50-50 = no pay
2 or 3 days/week = £10/day difference +5% pay
1 or less days = £30/day difference +5%pay

Those on low income would be able to apply for uc to contribute to their payment (similar to childcare element), but they would need to explain to their work coach why they are not able to look after their children.

May £100 a week to start? I'd say it should be less for a second child with the same person a bit like how child benefit works. But the minimum amount shouldn't be affected by further children had with someone else. Or affect the second families entitilement if they then also split up.

I'm assuming a system where not all the debt will be paid off in some cases. But I think how it works at the moment is awful, tax payers picking up for parents who are dodging their responsibilities . Largely leaving women doing without.

I agree with most of that!

I do think payments should be reduced for further (biological or adopted) children though. The first child isn’t more important than a later born one. The parent’s resources should be split equally between their children, just like in a nuclear family.

I’m sure the government have a formula.

Between what they pay in child benefit, universal for a child and then the LHA increase for extra bedrooms. Would be the minimum the government seems a child needs.

Or something like that.

I would clearly define a unit of parenting time not as an overnight, but as a 24 hour period during which a parent is responsible for all child related issues.

I would not allow a parent to load all their time into school holidays. If the time is not evenly distributed throughout the year, it should not carry as much weight in calculations.

both of these are because the parenting split greatly impacts the ability to work and earn. Manipulating that split to the convenience of one person should be reflected in the financial calculations.

50/50 and no maintenance at all is the fairest way, also with zero taxpayer involvement.

Childcare should be 50/50. Usually mum pays and struggles to find work around yet the dad as no ‘ties’ works all week without worrying about ill children

and same with takin time off when kids ill. Usually falls to the mum

agree should come from gross salary before pension etc

I’d be genuinely interested to know. I imagine it varies per council? I think housing benefits do.

I'd like cm payments to be calculated according to pay slips from the previous 3 years. I know far too many people where the NRP has suddenly decided to cut their hours, leave their job, go "cash in hand", decide to "career change/ retrain" or become a "SAHP" to a new partner's children to avoid paying CM. If you're unable to pay the amount then this should require documented proof of change of circumstances that has to be submitted before the change in amount is made. It should also take into account total assets.

I'd also like to see proper enforcement for those who chose not to pay their way.

Surely school holidays are more expensive than term time?

Uc and child benefit would be the same apart from the whole 2nd 3rd child thing.

LHA does vary so they would have to come up with a set figure. But if someone of full benefits with a child is given a set amount then that says the government have a figure they consider the minimum needed to raise a child to a very basic level.

I think you’re spot on.
I would also like sole traders/ directors to have to give their company accounts in to cms to see where the money is being funnelled when they claim to only earn £12,250 per year !

my nursery fees full time with 30 hours free etc are still £1400 a month and will go up again once child is 2.

I get your point about there being a lot more options regarding childcare but saying nobody can afford not to
work is not true.

waiting lists for all types of childcare can also be long so swapping to a cheaper option is also not a quick solution.

im not separated so not my battle and I admit I am in the south east. However I have friends who have had to take career breaks because taking on the full cost of the childcare was simply unaffordable.

i agree it’s a soearate issue that needs to be sorted…but while it isn’t is wholly unfair to exclude form the calculations especially if the childcare is already in place

So uc give £351 for a child born before 2017
£108.12 child benefit for eldest per month

Then the housing allowance.
Then childcare allowance if you wish to add that.

edit to add

Also if on full benefits or come September regardless that gives children free school
meals so if we add that at £3 per day 5 days a week school days as another government decided minimum cost.

Replied to the wrong post…

I suspect the reason the government doesn’t push for 50/50 is if there’s no NRP, they’d have to pay for the child to have two subsidised bedrooms, whereas at the moment only one parent can claim. So it does impact the taxpayer.

How many kids is that, and for how many hours?

I’m not SE but in a fairly expensive town and ours are under £500, and I have friends who get 3 days a week at nurseries for under £100, or full time at a childminders for the same. I was surprised!

What you aren’t taking into account is that the people struggling tend to be those with ex’s not in jobs with paye eg self employed, business owners or working cash in hand. They can tinker with the rules re paying but ultimately until it’s totally unacceptable to not pay socially people will, just like with drunk drivers, society had to make it unacceptable