Child Support and Maintenance

Child Support and Maintenance

Every parent has a responsibility to contribute to the care of their children, however the degree of support required is often difficult to understand. At Barclay Churchill, our experienced solicitors can help you determine what is expected of you financially, and can also assist you in formalising any alternative arrangements you may have with the child’s other parent.

Developed by the Child Support Agency, the current child support assessment formula aims to ensure that the costs of raising a child are shared by both parents. To do this, maintenance payments are assessed on the combined income of the parents and the current care arrangements of the child.

When assessing income, the income of each parent is combined to determine a total parental income. The total parental income indicates the costs of raising a child. The contribution of each parent to this cost is then determined by their proportion of the total income.

Generally, where a parent provides a larger percentage of care than their share of the total income, they will be entitled to receive support payments from the other parent. If the percentage of care is smaller than their share of income, thenthey will be required to make support payments to the other parent.

If you require advice concerning your current support arrangements, please contact our offices for assistance.