Why is child support not accounting for the cost of living crisis?

[AliceWondersWhy]

I am just looking for an answer as to why my child support is still the same but the cost of living is going through the roof.

My ex and I, like many people simply use the child maintenance calculator provided by the government to calculate child support. I have no money for lawyers or court orders and as my ex pays his minimum amount each month and has always done so they would be unnecessary.

But why is this amount not changing?!? From what I have read the amount is tied to the amount he earns and the nights my child stays with him. But the cost of living has skyrocketed and as we all know wages have barely risen at all and are now completely out of sink with reality.

So he gets to pay the same amount as he has been and I am left to shoulder all the massive increases in the cost of living. The cost of clothing has almost doubled, food and energy costs are more than doubled and yet there is no reflection in the payments.

I understand everyone is stretched but the massive burden of these costs should surely be shared by both parents. I did read advice online but it was all from lawyers and discussed court orders and legal process. I can't ask my ex for more money as although civil he will not pay a penny more than he has to. I imagine many people are in the same boat as me.

I hopeful I've just missed some important update and that the government has done something about this but been quiet about it...

[MelchiorsMistress]

You answered your own question. Wages haven’t gone up.

[MetellaInHortoEst]

Because wages aren’t increasing? CM is calculated as a percentage of salary.

[Magssss]

Yes it’s pathetic really that he is protected from paying more than a certain percentage of his income and yet there is no such protection for you! Im appalled that he wouldn’t see the need to contribute more for his children under the current circumstances. Sorry you are having to shoulder so much of the burden by yourself, it must be incredibly tough

[MetellaInHortoEst]

Negotiate with him if it’s a struggle. So many many shirk it all together. He doesn’t sound like one of those.

[TangoWhiskyAlphaTango]

But then neither has the OPs wages gone up and as as she asks, why should one parent shoulder the rise in everything just because they are the resident parent? OP I completely agree with you, any decent NRP would offer to increase maintenance yet I would bet my house there aren't many who do (including my exh). My exh would 'shirk' it given the chance, only because I involved CMS he pays.

[Imogensmumma]

Your Ex’s living expenses would have gone up as well, so you want your ex to pay twice in increased costs?

Wages and salary hasn’t changed that’s why the CM won’t change

[Endofmyteatherr]

I think many will be looking jobs too you know CMS are not the beat anyway. Could ex do more overnight stays?

[Endofmyteatherr]

Loosing*

[Endofmyteatherr]

@MetellaInHortoEst

Because wages aren’t increasing? CM is calculated as a percentage of salary.

But OPS ex can work 2 jobs if needs be.

It's unfair

[Simonjt]

The NRPs wages haven’t increased, their costs however like yours have increased, that includes feeding, housing, providing hotwater etc for your shared child.

Why should one person be given extra funds to cover the increases cost so they don’t feel it, while others aren’t?

[Whitetiles]

If OP has the child more than her ex, then the cost of living will affect her more than the ex. A bit extra from him wouldn't mean he's shouldering the burden twice. There needs to be some proper discussion about this.

[brighterthanthemoon]

His cost of living will have gone up too.

I know it's not a perfect system though.

Make sure he is paying for the clothes they are wearing when they are with him.

[brighterthanthemoon]

Or see if you can move closer to 50/50 so he's doing more of the parenting

[Treeeeeeee]

@Endofmyteatherr

But OPS ex can work 2 jobs if needs be.

It's unfair

This as daft as telling op to go get a better paid job tomorrow

[medicatedgift]

His costs have also gone up and he's not had a pay rise either.

It's not perfect but it's a % of his income.

[2greenroses]

@Endofmyteatherr

But OPS ex can work 2 jobs if needs be.

It's unfair

Op can work more/ for better pay too, its not just on the NRP

[Butitsnotfunnyisititsserious]

Because his costs have gone up too? Its not just you that has had rises.

[gottachangeforthisone]

Most of these replies are completely illogical.

Yes it's a % of income. But how do you think that % is set ?

The government look at the cost of raising a child and then perform some kind of financial calculation to apportion a % to the non resident parent.

So OF COURSE CM should have increased. As the % should have been redone based on inflation at the very least. Therefore a minimum of 10 % should have been added.

No surprise though that our completely incompetent government have not managed to do this.

[OhmygodDont]

Thing is that only works is everything increases. So everyone gets a pay rise, benefits rise etc but that’s not going to happen. His costs like your have both gone up, like everyone’s including those on benefits. People are losing jobs and being given less hours in some cases too as company are slower or going bust.

[frozendaisy]

The only thing you can do is attempt to appeal to his better side for the bigger outlay costs, winter coats, etc. See if he has any decency financially towards his child.

[ifonly4]

You've obviously come to an arrangement as to how the figure is worked out, so if that doesn't work for you, you need to discuss with him - maybe itemise how much you spend on your DC, so he can see his share isn't enoug. Has he actually had a pay rise this year? Not everyone has - we have three jobs between us and only my 7.5 hour pw has given me a payrise.

[PositiveLife]

Because his wages haven't gone up basically.
I mean, let's face it, the actual maintenance most people get bears no resemblance to the cost of raising a child. Look at all the loopholes that allow the amount to be reduced. My Ex-husband upped his pension contributions to reduce his maintenance (so now he'll get a better standard of living when he retires as well as paying less now) and it reduced when his dp moved in with her DC (why the government thinks that it somehow reduces his responsibility to his own kids I've no idea - but fundamentally it has reduced his maintenance while bringing a second income into his household).

[Winceybincey]

@Imogensmumma

Your Ex’s living expenses would have gone up as well, so you want your ex to pay twice in increased costs?

Wages and salary hasn’t changed that’s why the CM won’t change

I think you’re misunderstanding it. The Exes expenses have increased, the ops expenses have increased and the child’s expenses have increased. Neither the Op nor the ex have had a pay rise. Both are covering their own increase but only the Op is covering the child’s increase as the ex still pays the same amount. This is what Op is staying is unfair.

[caringcarer]

I know it won't help you bit I know my nephew rang his ex and offered her £20 extra each week for his 2 girls. He did not have to do it as his pay has not gone up but he does not want his girls going without and he is still on good terms with his ex. She never asked him but if she had ever asked I'm pretty sure he would have agreed because he pays half for all school uniforms too. His ex buys them and he reimbursed her. He says she is a good Mum to his kids.

[Toooldtoworry]

My husband and I have 5 children between us who live with the other parents. Due to redundancies/down turn in business we both earn half what we did pre-covid. We are SKINT, but we are increasing our child support payments from January to try and help with additional costs. We can't afford much extra, but every little helps! Plus I was a single parent for 15 years so know the struggle.

What you have to remember is that CMS is what the NRP is required to pay. Any additional is just that. I know its rubbish, and I'm not trying to 'chase it to the bottom' but it is the case.

Also NRPs also have to heat, eat, pay their expenses and they can't always be reduced to redistribute money elsewhere.