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How Child Maintenance is Calculated in the UK
Child maintenance is a regular financial payment made by one parent to the other to help with the costs of raising their child(ren) when they do not live together. In the UK, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is the government body that calculates and enforces statutory child maintenance. This calculator follows the official CMS rules effective from April 2024.
The Calculation Rules
The amount of child maintenance payable depends primarily on the paying parent's gross weekly income, the number of children, and the amount of shared care (overnight stays). The CMS uses different income bands:
- Nil Rate: If the paying parent's gross weekly income is less than £7, no maintenance is payable.
- Flat Rate: If income is between £7 and £100 per week, a flat rate of £7 per week is payable.
- Basic Rate: This applies to income between £100.01 and £800 per week. A percentage of the gross income is payable. The percentage depends on the number of children and whether the paying parent has other children living with them.
- Basic Plus Rate: For income between £800.01 and £3,000 per week. A percentage is applied to the first £800, and a reduced percentage (half of the standard rate) is applied to the income above £800.
- Reduced Rate: For income above £3,000 per week. A percentage is applied to the first £800, half the percentage on the next £2,200, and a quarter of the percentage on any income above £3,000.
The standard percentages for the Basic Rate are: 12% for one child, 16% for two children, and 19% for three or more children. If the paying parent has other children living with them, these percentages are reduced.
Shared Care Reduction
If the child(ren) stay overnight with the paying parent for an average of 52 nights or more per year, the maintenance amount is reduced. The reduction increases with more nights:
- 52-102 nights: Reduction of 1/7th.
- 103-155 nights: Reduction of 2/7ths.
- 156-174 nights: Reduction of 3/7ths.
- 175 nights or more: Reduction of 1/2.
Example Calculation
Consider a paying parent with a gross weekly income of £500, one qualifying child, and no overnight stays or other children in their household. They fall into the Basic Rate band. The applicable percentage for one child is 12%. The weekly maintenance is calculated as 12% of £500, which is £60.00 per week.
If that same parent had the child for 104 nights a year, they would qualify for a 2/7ths reduction. The gross amount of £60 would be reduced by 2/7ths (£17.14), resulting in a weekly payment of £42.86.
Minimum Payment Rule
If the calculated weekly amount (after any shared care reduction) is more than £0 but less than £7, the CMS rounds it up to £7. This rule does not apply if the paying parent's income is in the nil rate band (below £7).
Direct Pay vs. Collect & Pay
The CMS offers two service types. Direct Pay is where parents arrange payments between themselves, with the CMS providing the calculation. There is no fee for this service. Collect & Pay is where the CMS collects the money from the paying parent and passes it to the receiving parent. This service is used if the receiving parent receives certain benefits, or if either parent requests it. The CMS charges fees for Collect & Pay: 20% is added to the paying parent's liability, and 4% is deducted from the amount the receiving parent gets.
Next Steps: Formalising Your Agreement
Once you have calculated an amount, you can make a private arrangement with the other parent. It is highly recommended to formalise this agreement in writing. A Child Maintenance Agreement document clearly outlines the payment amount, schedule, and how additional expenses will be handled. This provides clarity and can prevent future disputes. If you also need to agree on living arrangements and contact schedules, a Child Arrangements Separation Agreement can be used alongside it.