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Original poster

Just checking this is fair - child maintenance

106 replies

Mitch22 · 08/05/2020 20:11

My husband usually pays £40 per week to his ex wife for one child.
When the lockdown happened we both lost both our income , both self employed, and have had to claim universal credit, which is just about covering our bills.

His ex wife is wfh, fully paid a very good wage.
At the time my husbands income stopped he spoke to his ex wife, who said they would just sort things out when he got his self employment support payment through.
As he is now on universal credit she is only due £7pw, as his income is £0.
Im pretty sure she is expecting a back payment of £40 pw.
How do we approach this? it is going to take a long time for us to get back on our feet, where as financially she hasn't been affected.
If my husband had lost his job in any other circumstances he would not be expected to pay £40 pw to her whilst on uc, so is this any different?

OP posts:
Greenlorry · 09/05/2020 10:56

For those picking the amount I agree but £170 is what people are entitled to by law. Some people get more and others nothing at all.

ShootsFruitAndLeaves · 09/05/2020 11:04

£40/week is the bare minimum legally payable for a full time worker on minimum wage. What business is he is in that his profits are that low? Or was he fiddling his numbers to start with.

Original poster
Mitch22 · 09/05/2020 13:19

Thanks for all your replies. We are going to give her a lump sum when the money comes through, it was just a matter of how much. It will probably amount to £40 pw which is fair.
For those saying £40pw isn't much, it was agreed in the divorce and is the going rate for self employed. And was initially £80pw for 2 children.
Plus if anything else is needed, uniform, school trips, phone etc they always go halves.

OP posts:
SoloMummy · 09/05/2020 16:47

And you really think that your ohs choice of going self employed justifies that lousy amount!
Wow.
What a gem of a man you hooked up with eh!

Shouldbedoing · 09/05/2020 16:52

If you're being really precise/miserly about those children, once he gets his SE grant he should pay 80% of the £40 minus the £7pw.

PotteringAlong · 09/05/2020 16:53

But, if he was paying £160 a month and is now only paying £28 a month then she HAS been financially affected. You are affecting her.

Shouldbedoing · 09/05/2020 16:54

oh and there's no such thing as £40pw as a 'going rate for self-employed'.

Shouldbedoing · 09/05/2020 16:56

The SE grant will be backdated to the start of lockdown and so should the child maintenance.
Glad to hear he pays half of the bigger expenses.

NC4Now · 09/05/2020 16:56

The self employed grant will be backdated, so his income will end up being more than the UC payment for this period. It’s just delayed.
I think he should use some of that to backpay his child maintenance.

Bufferingkisses · 09/05/2020 16:57

Her income has been affected, she is down £40 pw?

pinkyredrose · 09/05/2020 16:57

How is £40 a week "fair" in the first place. A price of a music lesson what music lesson costs £40?!

avroroad · 09/05/2020 17:00

The self employed grant will be backdated, so his income will end up being more than the UC payment for this period.

So he is getting UC AND self employed grant? Surely that's not right? It should be one of the other.

AldiAisleOfCrap · 09/05/2020 17:01

Going rate for self employed? That makes no sense? Does he genuinely only earn 15k a year?

PickUpAPickUpAPenguin · 09/05/2020 17:02

There is no such thing as a going rate for the SE. My ex is SE and I get much more than that.

dairyfairies · 09/05/2020 17:02

£40/weeks is very little in support. Your business must not have gone very well... did he only become self employed after having to pay CM?

Besides, he is still his child who still has needs. Morally totally wrong not to pay .

where is your DH in this?

MarieQueenofScots · 09/05/2020 17:03

It was agreed in the divorce and is the going rate for self employed

Can you expand on this? There isn’t such a thing as a “going rate”.

dairyfairies · 09/05/2020 17:04

was agreed in the divorce and is the going rate for self employed.

lol - maybe for those who fudge the figures.

lunar1 · 09/05/2020 17:06

Why do you say she hasn't been financially affected. She lost child maintenance, children aren't free to raise.

lyingwanker · 09/05/2020 17:20

I disagree with most of the previous posters and I say that as a parent who receives CMS for 2 children.

If the child lived with them then they'd have to survive on a much reduced income wouldn't they? So that's what's going to happen now. If my exH lost his job and couldn't pay his usual £190 a month then that would be fine, nothing I can do about it. It's not his fault and as soon as his income has gone up I'm sure the amounts will increase again. It's not like there's anything he can do about it at the moment is there other than offering to have the child more often whilst laid off work to share the costs more.

timetest · 09/05/2020 17:25

I have never heard of the going rate for the self employed. Does your DH not declare his real income?

Itwasntme1 · 09/05/2020 17:30

What does ‘goes rate for self employed’ even mean?

£40 per week for two children, do you honestly think that is fair to house and feed them?

Your husband has a responsibility to support his children, does he not have any savings?

Barbie222 · 09/05/2020 18:32

£80 down to £40? sounds like his declarable income dropped quite a bit as soon as he became "self employed".....

Itwasntme1 · 09/05/2020 18:34

God this thread is depressing, would put you off men!!

He’s going to take a while to get back on his feet so his responsibility to support his children goes to the back of the queue.

vengeancer · 09/05/2020 18:36

There is no such thing as a self employed rate.

I think 'the going rate' is a euphemism for declaring a victoriously low income.

Itwasntme1 · 09/05/2020 18:46

Someone earning £20k a year with two kids should pay £60 a week according to the cams calculator.

Does you husband earn less than minimum wage?

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