Navigating Child Maintenance After Separation - Private Agreements and the Child Maintenance Service

The government is making changes to the child maintenance system in Britain. Thousands of single parents will receive letters explaining the new arrangements. The government wants parents to agree on child maintenance payments "amicably". If they can't agree, they will face a charge. The government says the old system was too expensive.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is encouraging separated parents to create their own private child maintenance arrangements. Separation is a challenging time, especially when children are involved. One key aspect to navigate is child maintenance and ensuring your child's financial needs are met.

Once the new Child Maintenance Service is running smoothly, charges will be introduced for using the service, acting as an incentive for parents to reach their own agreements. You can avoid these charges altogether by setting up a direct debit payment system.

If the person with childcare responsibility wants the CMS to collect the money they risk losing 4% of the award. None paying parties could also be charged a further 20% which the government will keep. The CMS will provide a maintenance calculation to anyone applying but there will be a fee for this.

For some parents, contact with the other parent might be difficult or unsafe. If you don't want to contact the other parent, or if you're concerned about your address being known, you can ask your bank to set up an account with a non-geographic sort code. This provides an extra layer of privacy. The Child Maintenance Service can also collect payments directly from the paying parent (through their earnings, bank account, benefits, or pension) and pass them on to you, reducing the need for direct interaction, but at a financial cost.

The reforms have been criticised by agencies supporting families as obviously the fees are going to reduce the amount of money going towards the children’s care.

BULAC can offer legal advice on family matters. If you would like an appointment please call 01248 388411 or email Bulac@bangor.ac.uk for an appointment