Financial Arrangements for Children

Child maintenance

Child maintenance is dealt with by the Child Maintenance Service (“CMS”). The CMS calculate, using a strict formula, how much maintenance is payable from one parent to another.

However, if a paying parent is a high earner (currently set at over £156,000 per annum gross) the court can award a ‘top-up’ payment over and above the CMS calculation.

Housing/ other capital needs:

Claims can be made by a parent under Schedule 1 of the Children Act for a property to be made available to them for the benefit of a child/children during their minority.

Other capital lump sums can also be claimed, but these are mainly limited to discharge debt relating to the child (such as costs relating to the birth), the purchase of a car etc.