what is maintenance supposed to cover?

[whitetulips]

I get the amount the CSA says is correct from my ex.
I work full time, claim wtc and ctc, and have the money from him.
There is enough, but never really any left.
Am I reasonable to approach him about contributing towards the children's passports, which have expired? I know what his response will be, but I thought I would ask here first.
After all, he may want to use the passports over the next 5 years!
TIA

Unfortunately alot of NRP think that the minimum CSA payments is all that is necessary for a child's needs. I dont think you are being unreasonable in asking for additional support, but set your expectations low then you wont be disappointed when he does say no (regardless of whether he may want to take his child abroad in the future).

If I calculated everything I spent on the children each month, my contribution would more than double what I get in maintenance from my exh. My exh doesnt see the children, but still has to pay CSA payments (thankfully) we have very sporadic contact, I do ask him for additional contributions to school trips and usually get told (by his new wife) where to go and that the CSA payments should be enough to cover it - yeah right - as if!!!

Still, I manage to give the children everything they need, if I dwelled on the lack of financial support over and above the minumum required, I would be a very unhappy and stressed out mum!!

I'm pleasantly surprised by this thread.

When I posted previously about the lack of support from my exp (and he's paying below csa rates) I was told that its unreasonable to expect a penny over csa rates. He is also paying more to his mum than me, but apparently that's ok!

Agree children are expensive!

Don't think its unreasonable for you to expect major costs to be split.

I'm pleasantly surprised by this thread.

When I posted previously about the lack of support from my exp (and he's paying below csa rates) I was told that its unreasonable to expect a penny over csa rates. He is also paying more to his mum than me, but apparently that's ok!

Agree children are expensive!

Don't think its unreasonable for you to expect major costs to be split.

Hi,

Just to balance the debate I would expect the NRP to also have costs for the children. I expect my ex would have a bedroom for DD, take her on trips etc and pay for her needs whilst with him. Maybe I'm crazy to even suggest this but why can't parents discuss the costs of raising their children - even when they have separated. Sometimes the 15% may not be enough but sometimes the 15% could be more than sufficient to meet monthly needs guess it depends on a number of factors but mostly the actual money per month and of course what settlement was made when the initial split happened i.e housing costs.
My approach to this - if the PWC is struggling to pay for passports then why not have a conversation about it. Sometimes children don't get everything they want/need (i.e school trips) but that happens if parents are together so the same principle applies if parents separate.
I don't believe CSA is about keeping the same living standards as a joint couple. When couples separate they have to run two households so costs do rise and income doesn't!

houseproject - income does rise in that the RP will usually get CTC, WTC and help with childcare costs if they work and are a lone parent. They would still be getting thir salary as before and so would their ex.

And if they are on a low income or don't work at all they may well get IS, HB and reduced Council Tax as well as free prescriptions & eye test, school dinners paid and the like. This would be in addition to the pin money job or no money SAHP role they had before as well as their ex's income.

This extra support for the RP, as well as the maintenance, helps raise their incomes and goes towards supporting the housing costs they have.

The NRP does get a reduction in their maintenance for every overnight the dc stay with them. This is to cover their costs while they have contact with their dc. Presumably the calculation being overnights is to reflect the biggest cost being accomodating the children during the night ie providing a sleeping space for them - whether that be a room of their own, a blow up bed or the sofa; dependig on their situation. You might expect your ex to proovide a bedroom for your dd bit not every NRP can afford that for their dc's. Different levels of income allow for different situations.

So yes the NRP does also have costs. But their maintenance is reduced/increased depending on the level of contact they have with that child. They can also apply for a variation to that calculation amount under various categories, such as if they have excessive travel costs in maintaining that contact.