Both parents are legally responsible for the financial costs of raising their children. If parents separate the parent who the children do not live with may be required to pay child maintenance to the parent the children live with.

Child maintenance is dealt with by the Child Maintenance Service (previously the Child Support Agency). The Family Courts do not generally consider the issue of child maintenance and, in any event, only have the power to override the authority of the Child Maintenance Service for a period of 12 months.

The Child Maintenance Service’s website provides an online calculator which confirms the minimum amount a parent should be paying in respect of Child Maintenance. The calculator considers factors such as the paying parent’s income, how many children there are and how often the children have overnight contact with the paying parent.

A claim can be made through the Child Maintenance Service if a parent refuses to make the minimum payment. The online calculator can be found here on the CM Options website https://www.cmoptions.org/en/calculator/

George Green’s Specialist Family and Divorce Lawyers regularly advise clients in respect of the arrangements for children post separation.  If you wish to discuss your matter in a free initial telephone consultation call Alex Mansfield on 01902 328 365 (amansfield@georgegreen.co.uk) at our Wolverhampton office or Rachel Baker on 01384 340 580 (rbaker@georgegreen.co.uk at our Cradley Heath office.