Child maintenance

[Pen1972]

Hi all, after advice. I have just separated from ex and we have a 1year boy. I'm living with my mum until my house purchase has gone through and he's also buying a house. Son is in nursery 3 afternoons a week (79 a week) We are in loggerheads over maintenance. What is the right amount for one child. He earns over £6k a month and has said he'd pay 75 a week. He's also said he'll only have our son every other weekend. He's calling all the shots and tells me to go to appeal as he won't be held to ransom over money (his words) I'm not working, but am looking for part time to fit in nursery hours. I get child tax credits. Advice please?

Go through the official channels and keep any evidence you have of his financial affairs.

Got to the cms website and work it out on their calculator.

£75 a week is ridiculous. Contact CMS if he's going to be like that about it. I think under the new system he'll have to pay an extra 20% on the amount and you'll receive 4% less of it or something.
From what I remember it's about 15% of his earnings minus a little for the amount of nights he has the child in a year. I expect you'd get between £800-£850 a month if he's earning £6,000.
Plus, if he refuses to pay, they'll just take if from his wages

Have you gone online to see what maintenance you're entitled to? It's fairly quick and simple to do and if it's more than £75 a week, you can use it to confront him. Ideally if you can come to an agreement privately, it's preferred but if you's being an arse, you'll have to go official.

I believe that the amount of time he offers to spend with your son as the non resident parent is down to him. It's pretty rubbish but it will be reflected in the amount of support he has to provide.

Best of luck x

I have to admit I did some really bad maths there (how did I degree a maths degree) and got £150 a month from £75 a week? So it's not ridiculous, but still low for his earnings.

Thanks everyone. I did the calculation on the .gov website and got £156 week I think from the website. He told me that he has a mortgage and bills to pay so he could afford anymore.

Well get him to have his child half the week then? Ha, no..bet he won't want that either. Whatever he gives you won't begin to cover what he would have to pay someone to bring up and care for his son 24 hours a day for 12 days out of 14.

Contact the CMS and do not delay it any longer. If you want them to handle the case there is a £20 application fee. If he doesn't pay them voluntarily he will have to pay them an additional 20% and you will lose 2%.

Has he paid anything at all yet? I'd be contacting CMS very soon as I believe they don't back-date claims, so they will only pursue arrears back to when you first call them.
Sounds like he might mess you about. I think I'd be battening down the hatches and keeping communication with him to a minimum - preferably only text, email or letter to keep as evidence if needed. If he wants to see DS only every other weekend, more fool him as that's not a lot of time to build a relationship with him in. Expect nothing from him and build up your own support network. The Lone Parents board here might be useful to you.
Good luck