Child maintenance helps meet the everyday living costs of children whose parents live separately. This guide explains the general arrangements in England, Wales and Scotland, including the official CMS process, independent arrangements and important limitations.
1. What Is Child Maintenance?
Child maintenance is financial support towards a child's living costs when their parents are not living together. It can apply after separation, divorce or where parents have never lived together.
The money helps contribute to everyday costs such as food, clothing, housing and other ordinary needs. Parents may agree how these contributions are made privately or use the statutory Child Maintenance Service.
Child maintenance is separate from arrangements for seeing a child. A disagreement about contact does not automatically remove a parent's financial responsibilities.
Key point: Both parents are responsible for contributing to the financial support of their children.
2. Who Pays Child Maintenance?
Under the standard CMS arrangement, the paying parent is generally the parent who does not provide the main day-to-day care of the child. The receiving parent usually provides that care.
Child maintenance can also be received by an eligible grandparent or guardian with main day-to-day care. In some Scottish circumstances, an eligible older child may apply directly.
Usually the parent without main day-to-day responsibility for the child.
Usually the parent or eligible carer providing the child's main day-to-day care.
Parents with complicated living arrangements should not assume that a simple equal-nights calculation determines which parent is required to pay.
3. Who Is Eligible for Child Maintenance?
The statutory scheme normally covers qualifying children under 16, or under 20 if they remain in approved education or training. Specific conditions apply.
To use the CMS, applicants generally need to have their main home in the UK and the right to live here. The child, parent's location, overseas employment and existing court orders can affect eligibility.
Who Can Apply to CMS?
- Either parent, where eligible.
- A grandparent with main day-to-day care.
- An eligible guardian.
- Certain children aged over 12 living in Scotland.
Some existing consent orders approved by a court can temporarily prevent a new CMS application.
If a parent lives or works outside the UK, additional jurisdiction rules may apply.
Check Official CMS Eligibility →4. Ways to Arrange Child Maintenance
Parents can normally choose between making their own arrangement and applying to the Child Maintenance Service.
Both parents agree how much support will be provided, when it will be paid and how their agreement will be managed.
Parents can agree cash payments or other forms of financial support.
The Child Maintenance Service calculates the statutory amount and can manage the payment route or assist with collection where necessary.
The amount is based on official rules and relevant evidence.
A private agreement may offer flexibility when both parents can cooperate. However, an informal agreement is not generally enforceable in the same way as a CMS liability.
Parents should record any agreed amounts, payment dates and review arrangements, particularly if their circumstances may change.
5. What Is the Child Maintenance Service?
The Child Maintenance Service is the statutory service that calculates child maintenance for eligible separated families. It can also arrange collection and take steps to address unpaid maintenance.
CMS uses information about the paying parent's income and relevant circumstances to determine the weekly maintenance amount.
CMS may use income details from HMRC. Parents must also report certain changes that could affect the assessment.
What Can CMS Help With?
- Calculating statutory maintenance.
- Arranging Direct Pay or Collect and Pay.
- Reviewing qualifying changes of circumstances.
- Addressing missed payments.
- Dealing with some parentage disputes.
6. How Is Child Maintenance Calculated?
The official CMS process generally contains six steps to determine the weekly amount.
Identify the paying parent's relevant gross income and benefit circumstances.
Account for eligible pension contributions and other supported children.
Apply the applicable Nil, Flat, Reduced, Basic or Default calculation rules.
Consider the children included in the maintenance assessment.
Apply the correct rate to determine the starting weekly amount.
Reduce the qualifying amount where relevant overnight care rules apply.
Our website calculator provides estimates for supported cases. It does not access CMS or HMRC case records and is not an official decision.
7. Child Maintenance Rates Explained
The rate depends on the paying parent's relevant gross weekly income, number of qualifying children and other applicable circumstances.
| Weekly Gross Income | Rate | General Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Below £7 | Nil | £0 per week |
| £7–£100 | Flat | Generally £7 per week |
| £100.01–£199.99 | Reduced | Income-based formula |
| £200–£800 | Basic | 12%, 16% or 19% |
| £800.01–£3,000 | Basic Plus | Two percentage bands |
| Income unknown | Default | £38, £51 or £64, according to children |
Basic Rate Percentages
| Children | First £800 Weekly | Above £800 Weekly |
|---|---|---|
| One | 12% | 9% |
| Two | 16% | 12% |
| Three or more | 19% | 15% |
Example: Two Children
Relevant gross weekly income: £600
Basic percentage: 16%
£600 × 16% = £96
The example assumes there are no other adjustments or special circumstances.
View the Complete CMS Rates Tables →8. Income, Employment and Benefits
The CMS normally starts with the paying parent's taxable gross annual income. This is generally income before Income Tax and National Insurance, after relevant pension adjustments.
Employment and Self-Employment
Employment earnings and taxable profits from self-employment may be relevant. CMS normally uses available HMRC information, although different evidence may be required in some cases.
Benefits
Some qualifying benefits can result in Flat-rate treatment. Other circumstances can result in a Nil-rate decision. Eligibility depends on the applicable CMS rules.
Receiving Parent's Benefits
Receiving child maintenance does not normally reduce Universal Credit or other benefits received by the parent and child. Child maintenance received is also not subject to Income Tax.
Pension Contributions
Eligible pension contributions may affect the income figure used in a maintenance calculation. The appropriate adjustment depends on how contributions were made and reported.
Tip: Income and benefits are assessed under specific CMS rules. Do not assume the same percentage applies in every circumstance.
10. How Child Maintenance Payments Are Made
If a family uses the CMS, payments can be managed through Direct Pay or Collect and Pay. The two services work differently.
CMS calculates maintenance, but the parents arrange payments directly. There are no CMS collection fees for this payment method.
CMS collects maintenance from the paying parent and transfers it to the receiving parent. Collection fees apply.
Collect and Pay Fees
| Parent | Collection Fee |
|---|---|
| Paying parent | 20% added to the payment |
| Receiving parent | 4% deducted from the payment |
| Direct Pay | No CMS collection fee |
For example, if the assessed amount is £100 and Collect and Pay applies, a 20% fee would increase the paying parent's amount to £120. The 4% receiving-parent fee would leave £96, assuming no other adjustments.
The CMS application fee was removed in February 2024. Collect and Pay fees are separate from that former application charge.
Compare Payment Methods →11. How to Apply for Child Maintenance
Parents may be able to agree a private maintenance arrangement. If they want to use CMS, the government provides an application route and information about available options.
- Check whether a private arrangement would suit your circumstances.
- Check eligibility for using CMS.
- Use the official government's help arranging maintenance tool.
- Provide required information through the official application process.
- Follow the CMS decision and payment instructions if an application proceeds.
CMS may request identifying and financial information. Submit those details directly through the official service, not through this independent website.
Apply Through GOV.UK →12. What Happens When Circumstances Change?
Maintenance payments can change when relevant income, benefits, family circumstances or overnight care arrangements change.
The CMS normally carries out an annual review of ongoing cases. Some changes may need to be reported earlier.
Changes You May Need to Report
- Relevant income changes.
- Changes to qualifying benefits.
- A change in the number of relevant children.
- Changes to overnight care.
- Employment and contact details where required.
- Changes affecting the child's eligibility.
Some income reassessments involve a 25% threshold and specific reporting conditions. The threshold is not a universal rule for every change.
Remember: Keep following your existing CMS payment plan until an official change takes effect.
13. Missed Payments and Child Maintenance Arrears
Maintenance arrears are unpaid amounts owed under an existing maintenance obligation. The next steps depend on the payment arrangement.
When Using Direct Pay
If the paying parent misses payments, the receiving parent can contact CMS and request consideration of Collect and Pay.
When Using Collect and Pay
CMS may take action to recover unpaid maintenance. Depending on the circumstances, this can include deductions from earnings, benefits or bank accounts, and further enforcement measures.
Enforcement rules and fees depend on the case. Parents who cannot meet their payment plan should contact CMS rather than simply stopping payments.
Learn About Maintenance Arrears →14. When Does Child Maintenance Stop?
Child maintenance normally applies while a child remains eligible under the relevant rules.
Payments may continue after age 16 if the child remains in approved non-advanced education or training. They ordinarily end when the relevant education or training conditions cease or at age 20, whichever comes first.
The precise end date can depend on course details and the applicable terminal dates under government rules.
Starting a university degree generally does not qualify as non-advanced education for these purposes.
Unpaid maintenance from earlier periods may still need to be paid after regular maintenance has ended.
Read the Full Guide to Ending Payments →15. Child Maintenance Across the UK
Child maintenance arrangements operate across the United Kingdom, but the administration and relevant legal processes can differ.
England, Wales and Scotland
The Child Maintenance Service covered by the main GOV.UK guidance administers statutory arrangements for eligible cases in these countries.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has a separately administered Child Maintenance Service, with official information available through nidirect.
Users should confirm that they are following the appropriate official service and rules for their location.
Northern Ireland Child Maintenance Information →16. Official Sources and Further Reading
This guide is based on the general framework explained in government guidance. For case-specific decisions, consult the relevant official authority.
Official eligibility, applications and payment information.
Visit Official Service →Official six-step calculation overview.
Read Calculation Guidance →Direct Pay, Collect and Pay, and payment arrangements.
Read Payment Guidance →Education, training and age-related eligibility rules.
Read Ending-Payments Guidance →Independent website: Child Maintenance Calculator UK is not affiliated with or endorsed by GOV.UK, DWP or CMS. Our calculator produces estimates, not official decisions.
For information about our approach to calculations, visit the Calculation Methodology page.