Child maintenance

Child maintenance views sought by charity Gingerbread

When parents separate, anything to do with their children can be emotive. For some parents it can suddenly be a financial struggle to make sure their children have what they need for day-to-day life. This is in part why we have the concept of child maintenance payments. Depending on the living arrangements for the children, if parent A has the children overnight more during the week than parent B, hopefully a sensible arrangement can be made for parent B to pay either a weekly or monthly sum of money to parent A for the children’s upkeep.

Child maintenance is a legal obligation and carries on until a child is 18 or has finished their secondary education, whichever is later. For some parents they are able to negotiate and agree a sum without needing any professional involvement. Others require a formal assessment from the Child Maintenance Service but are then able to sort out payment between themselves once the assessment has been done. Sadly, there are cases where the parents cannot agree a direct pay scheme and therefore are forced to use the Child Maintenance Service to collect funds from parent B and pay the money directly to parent A. Fees are charged to both parents in this situation.

Gingerbread is a well-known charity who have been around since February 1918. The charity was originally called the National Council for the Unmarried Mother and her Child. Gingerbread has been speaking out for single parents for over 100 years with regular tips to Westminster to campaign for certain rights and to highlight their members concerns. Now Gingerbread is seeking to learn from separated parents on what they have experienced or feel about the following issues:

• What do you think about child maintenance?
• Do you have experience of child maintenance or the Child Maintenance Service (CMS)?
• Is there a reason why you are not using or do not want to use the CMS to help with child maintenance?

Gingerbread’s website contains more information and details on how separated parents can get involved. Further information can be accessed here.  At Kerseys Solicitors our experienced family solicitors want to give separated parents the advice and support they need to deal with any issues that might arise with their ex-partner over the arrangements for the children.

Contact our Family law team at Kerseys Solicitors in Ipswich at [email protected] or telephone 01473 213311, Kerseys Solicitors in Felixstowe at [email protected] on 01394 834557 or Kerseys Solicitors in Colchester at [email protected] on 01206 584584 today book a fixed fee initial consultation.