How do I arrange child maintenance after separating from my partner?

Child maintenance is regular, reliable financial support that helps towards a child's living costs.

There are various ways you can arrange this:

• informally between yourselves
• as part of an agreed court order upon divorce
• through the Child Support Agency/Child Maintenance Service
• through the court for a "top-up" payment if the absent parent's income is in excess of £156,000 per year

There is a new gross income formula which is currently being introduced by the Child Maintenance Service where the absent parent is assessed to pay a percentage of their gross income (rather than their net income as was previously the case.)

For more advice contact Tina Coward on 01722 410664.