If you are able to reach informal agreement between
yourselves about child maintenance or are using the Child Maintenance Service then you may decide not to seek legal advice.
If you're a guardian, relative or friend, or if you have a professional interest in finding out
more about child maintenance, we may also be able to help you.
If you're thinking about Income Support, income - based Jobseeker's Allowance or income - related Employment and Support Allowance, bear in mind that the law requires you to tell Jobcentre
Plus about any child maintenance you receive.
This page helps to dispel some common
myths about Child Maintenance and has been put together with the help of Child Maintenance Options, a free and confidential support service for parents.
If you and your ex have privately reached
agreement about child maintenance, but are in court to sort out other financial matters, pensions or housing for example, then you could ask the Court to include your child maintenance agreement as part of the final court order.
Note: While Part VIIIAB financial agreements are not made with respect to child maintenance,
provisions about child maintenance could be included in the same document for child support (or other non ‑ Part VIIIAB) purposes.
Child Maintenance Options has a range of free tools to help you make a family - based arrangement, including a child maintenance calculator and a discussion guide to help you have a
conversation about child maintenance.
It can include details of how you are going to divide up your assets, such as money and property, as well as what agreement has been
made about child maintenance or your children generally.
(English) Information from Child Maintenance Options, providing impartial information and support to help both parents make informed
choices about child maintenance.
Talking
about child maintenance might feel like the last thing you want to do, especially if your relationship with the other parent is strained.
If you're worried about talking to your child's other parent
about child maintenance, get further help with talking about child maintenance.
If you and the other parent decide to make a family - based arrangement
about child maintenance, no - one else gets involved, so you can keep things private between the two of you.
Information from Child Maintenance Options, providing impartial information and support to help both parents make informed choices
about child maintenance.
Information about family - based arrangements from Child Maintenance Options, providing impartial information and support to help both parents make informed choices about child maintenance
We've provided some tools, leaflets and information to help you find out how to calculate and talk
about child maintenance, record a family - based arrangement and manage your finances.
If you choose to make a family - based arrangement
about child maintenance, there are certain things you may want to have ready for your discussion with the other parent (see how to make a family - based arrangement).