You can agree it between you, for free, or use the Child Maintenance Service, which can work out the amount and chase payments. If you use its Collect and Pay service, both parents pay fees.
Quick facts
- Child's age
- Under 16, or under 20 in education
- Affects benefits?
- No
- Tax
- None on payments
- Direct Pay
- No collection fees
- Collect and Pay
- 20% paying, 4% receiving
What child maintenance is
Child maintenance covers how your child’s living costs will be paid when one of the parents does not live with the child.
Both parents are responsible for the costs of raising their children, even if they do not see them.
Child maintenance payments will not affect any benefits that you and your children get, including Universal Credit. You will not have to pay tax on them.
Ways to arrange it
Child maintenance can be arranged privately between parents, if both parents agree, or through the Child Maintenance Service.
The Child Maintenance Service can:
- work out an amount to pay
- arrange payments and take action if a parent does not pay
- sort out disagreements about parentage
- try to find the other parent if you do not know where they are
You can use the Child Maintenance Service to arrange child maintenance if you do not want your child’s other parent to know your location or personal information.
The fees
The paying parent makes payments directly to the receiving parent. You do not pay any collection fees.
If the service collects and passes on payments instead, the fee is:
- 20% (which is added to the payment) for paying parents
- 4% (which is taken off the payment) for receiving parents
Who can apply
Your child needs to be under 16 - or under 20 if they are in approved education or training.
You can apply if you’re either parent, a grandparent with main day-to-day care of the child, or the child’s guardian.
Common questions
Does child maintenance affect Universal Credit?
No. Child maintenance payments will not affect any benefits that you and your children get, including Universal Credit.
What are the Child Maintenance Service fees?
Using Direct Pay there are none. Using Collect and Pay, 20% is added for the paying parent and 4% is taken off for the receiving parent.
Until what age is child maintenance paid?
Until 16, or 20 if the child is in approved education or training.
Can a grandparent apply?
Yes, if they have main day-to-day care of the child.