Child Maintenance Calculator UK aims to provide clear, accurate and understandable information about child maintenance. This policy sets out our proposed standards for sourcing information, reviewing calculations, correcting errors and separating editorial content from advertising.
1. Our Editorial Commitment
Child Maintenance Calculator UK is an independent information website developed to help parents understand child maintenance calculations, payment arrangements and related topics in the United Kingdom.
Our editorial objective is to make complex information easier to understand without removing important conditions, exceptions or limitations.
We aim to prioritise factual accuracy, transparent explanations and relevance to our visitors.
This policy describes the standards that should guide how our content is created, reviewed, published and maintained.
2. Purpose of Our Content
Our content is intended to help users understand general child maintenance rules and make more informed decisions about where to find reliable information.
Topics may include:
- Child maintenance rates and calculation methods.
- Gross income and permitted adjustments.
- Child maintenance for different numbers of children.
- Shared care and overnight stays.
- Pension contributions and other supported children.
- Benefits, self-employment and changes in circumstances.
- Payment arrangements, maintenance arrears and official CMS procedures.
We aim to answer real questions that visitors may have, rather than produce pages solely to target search terms.
3. Our Editorial Principles
The following principles should inform our content development and review processes.
Check factual statements and numerical explanations against appropriate sources.
Identify relevant sources, assumptions and important limitations clearly.
Use accessible language and explain technical terms where helpful.
Keep editorial conclusions separate from advertising and commercial interests.
Explain paying-parent and receiving-parent circumstances without unnecessary bias.
Provide a way for visitors to report potential errors or outdated information.
4. Sources of Information
We aim to use authoritative, relevant and current information when preparing content about UK child maintenance.
Depending on the topic, preferred sources may include government guidance, relevant legislation, official service documentation and other reliable primary materials.
Official Government Sources
GOV.UK and published Child Maintenance Service guidance are important reference points for explaining calculation methods and procedures.
Explains the general CMS calculation process, including income, applicable rates and shared care.
View Official Guidance →Provides additional explanations and examples about CMS calculations.
View Detailed CMS Guide →Provides an independent point of comparison for relevant estimation scenarios.
Open Government Calculator →Source Evaluation
Before relying on a source, relevant factors may include:
- Who published the information.
- Whether the information is current.
- Whether it applies to the relevant UK jurisdiction.
- Whether it concerns existing rules or proposed changes.
- Whether it is a primary or secondary source.
- Whether exceptions or eligibility conditions apply.
When sources conflict, we aim to check the relevant primary material rather than silently combine inconsistent claims.
5. Content Research and Review Process
Our intended editorial workflow uses a series of checks before important informational content is published.
Identify a useful question or information need related to UK child maintenance.
Consult relevant GOV.UK guidance, legislation or other appropriate sources.
Write an original, understandable explanation that answers the topic without omitting important conditions.
Check numerical claims, terminology, dates, relevant assumptions and cited links.
Publish the page with appropriate sources, navigation and context.
Reassess content when official guidance changes or a substantiated error is reported.
The depth of review should reflect the potential consequences of inaccurate information. Calculators and explanations of financial obligations require particular care.
6. Calculator Methodology and Accuracy
Calculation tools require an additional level of review because visitors may use their results to understand possible financial obligations.
Our intended approach to calculator development includes documenting:
- Relevant income ranges and rates.
- The number of children covered.
- Permitted pension and income adjustments.
- Shared-care calculation methods.
- Rounding and conversion assumptions.
- Special cases the calculator cannot reliably assess.
Testing Calculations
Before treating a calculator as ready for public use, representative scenarios should be tested against current official examples or the government calculator, where a valid comparison is available.
Testing should include relevant rate boundaries, different numbers of children, overnight care bands and unsupported situations.
Our estimates are not official CMS decisions. The Child Maintenance Service may use information and statutory adjustments that are not available to an independent tool.
A detailed explanation of supported calculation rules and exclusions should be maintained on our Calculation Methodology page.
7. Authors, Editors and Reviewers
We aim to make relevant information about content responsibility available to visitors.
Where appropriate, articles may identify their author, editorial reviewer or responsible website operator.
Professional qualifications and specialist expertise should only be stated when they are genuine and can be substantiated.
We do not intend to present fictional individuals as human authors or claim that content has been legally reviewed when no such review occurred.
Editorial Responsibility: [INSERT ACTUAL EDITORIAL OWNER OR BUSINESS NAME]
The website is not an official government service, and an editorial review is not automatically equivalent to independent legal advice.
8. AI-Assisted Content and Automation
Technology and automated tools may assist with content planning, language editing, formatting or technical development.
Where AI-assisted drafting is used, it should not be treated as an authoritative source for legal rules, government rates or financial claims.
Important factual statements should be independently checked against relevant reliable sources.
Human oversight should be applied where needed to assess accuracy, relevance, clarity and potential consequences of errors.
Any material use of automated content generation should be disclosed when doing so would help readers understand how the information was produced.
We aim not to publish large quantities of low-value, repetitive or unverified material solely to attract search traffic.
9. Content Updates and Reviews
Child maintenance rules and government guidance can change.
We aim to review relevant content when changes are identified, particularly where those changes may affect estimates or financial decisions.
| Content Type | Review Considerations |
|---|---|
| Calculators | Relevant formula changes, rates, special cases and test results |
| CMS Rates | Official published rates and effective dates |
| Informational Guides | Legislation, guidance, eligibility and procedural changes |
| Legal Policies | Actual website operations and applicable legal requirements |
| External Links | Availability, relevance and accuracy of destinations |
A published update date should reflect a genuine review or material change, not merely an automatic date change intended to make content appear current.
Where a substantive correction has been made, a brief correction note may be appropriate.
10. Error Reporting and Corrections
We welcome reports about possible factual errors, broken sources, outdated information or unexpected calculator results.
Visitors can report concerns through the Contact Us page.
How Corrections Should Be Handled
- Review the reported information and identify the relevant page or calculation.
- Compare the issue against appropriate primary sources or documented calculation rules.
- Determine whether a correction, further clarification or no change is needed.
- Correct substantiated inaccuracies in a timely manner, proportionate to their significance.
- Consider whether related pages or tools need updating.
Major corrections affecting maintenance calculations should be prioritised because inaccurate outputs may influence financial decisions.
11. Editorial Independence
Child Maintenance Calculator UK is an independent informational website.
It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the UK Government, GOV.UK, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).
Editorial information should be based on relevant evidence and sources, rather than adjusted to favour advertisers or other commercial relationships.
Sources should be referenced to support important claims, not to imply a partnership or official endorsement.
12. Advertising and Revenue
The website may introduce display advertising, including Google AdSense, to support access to free informational resources and tools.
If advertising is introduced, it should remain distinguishable from editorial content and calculator controls.
Advertising should not be presented as a government recommendation or an official child maintenance service.
Where sponsored content or commercial relationships are introduced, relevant disclosures should be clear and appropriate.
The presence of advertising should not determine how CMS rates, calculation rules or other factual information are explained.
13. Clear and Accessible Content
We aim to explain child maintenance terminology in language that is understandable to a broad audience.
Editorial improvements may include:
- Descriptive headings and logical sections.
- Clear definitions of technical terms.
- Examples with stated assumptions.
- Readable tables and mobile-friendly layouts.
- Descriptive links to official references.
- Warnings where calculations are limited.
- Accessible forms and error messages.
We aim to avoid language that suggests users can obtain guaranteed outcomes from an independent estimate.
14. Informational Limitations and Advice
Content published on this website is intended for general education and understanding.
It is not a substitute for an official CMS assessment or personalised legal, financial or tax advice.
Individual circumstances may involve special statutory rules, evidence requirements or disputes that cannot be fully addressed in general articles.
Visitors should verify important information with the Child Maintenance Service or obtain appropriate professional advice before changing legally required payments.
Please also read our Disclaimer and Terms & Conditions .
15. Contact and Editorial Feedback
Visitors can use our contact page to report possible inaccuracies, request clarification or provide feedback about published information.
When reporting an issue, it is helpful to provide:
- The URL of the relevant page.
- The statement or calculation in question.
- Why you believe it may be incorrect.
- A relevant official source, if available.
Please avoid including children's names, detailed personal financial records or other unnecessary sensitive information in general feedback.
Website: child-maintenance-calculator.co.uk
Editorial Operator: [INSERT ACTUAL LEGAL OR BUSINESS NAME]
Email: [INSERT VERIFIED CONTACT EMAIL]
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