In short
- You can make a private (family-based) arrangement, or use the Child Maintenance Service (CMS).[1]
- Child maintenance payments don't affect benefits, and you don't pay tax on them.[1]
- GOV.UK has a calculator to help you work out an amount.[2]
- Using the CMS's Collect and Pay service has fees. Direct Pay doesn't.[3]
Who it's for
You must have a child maintenance arrangement if your child is under 16, or under 20 and in approved education or training.[1]
It's a financial arrangement. Arrangements for seeing the children are made separately.[1] Both parents are responsible for the costs of raising their children.[1]
Option 1: a family-based arrangement
A private arrangement is one you make between yourselves. You can make one if you both agree, and no one else has to be involved. It's flexible and can be changed if your circumstances change, and it's up to you to decide how much the payments are.[2]
The GOV.UK child maintenance calculator can help.[2][4]
If you can't agree, or you feel at risk talking to the other parent, you might be able to use the CMS.[2]
Option 2: the Child Maintenance Service
The CMS can work out an amount to pay, arrange payments, and take action if a parent doesn't pay.[1] There are two ways of paying:[3]
- Direct Pay: the paying parent pays the receiving parent directly. There are no collection fees.
- Collect and Pay: the CMS collects the money and passes it on. The paying parent pays an extra 20% on top of each payment, and the receiving parent has 4% taken off each payment.
You can't use the CMS if you have a consent order approved by a court that's less than a year old.[5] The first payment is usually made within 12 weeks of applying.[3]
The CMS shares your name and your child's name with the other parent, but not your address.[6] You can use it if you don't want the other parent to know where you are.[1] Phone: 0800 171 2345, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.[7]
How the CMS works out the amount
The CMS gets the paying parent's yearly gross income (before tax) from HMRC, turns it into a weekly figure, and applies a rate:[8]
| Gross weekly income | Rate |
|---|---|
| Less than £7 | Nil rate: nothing to pay |
| £7 to £100, or on certain benefits | Flat rate: £7 a week |
| £100.01 to £199.99 | Reduced rate |
| £200 to £3,000 | Basic rate |
The amount goes down if the child regularly stays overnight with the paying parent:[8]
| Nights a year with the paying parent | Reduction |
|---|---|
| 52 to 103 | 14.29% |
| 104 to 155 | 28.57% |
| 156 to 174 | 42.86% |
| 175 or more | 50%, plus an extra £7 a week |
Payments can't go below £7 a week.[8] The CMS reviews the amount every 12 months.[3]
When it stops
Child maintenance payments end when your child leaves education or training or turns 20, whichever happens first.[9]
Other guides
- No-fault divorce and the timeline
- MIAMs and mediation
- Financial orders, clean breaks and consent orders
- Pensions after divorce
- What happens to the house
Who can actually advise you
Splitt gives general guidance, not advice. For advice on your own situation, these are the people to talk to:
- Family mediatorHelps you both work through the decisions you need to make, without taking sides. A mediator can't give advice, but is usually much cheaper than legal advice.[10]
- Family solicitorGives legal advice on your rights and options, and whether you're getting a fair deal. A solicitor can also ask a pension on divorce expert to look at your pensions.[10]
- Pension on divorce expert (PODE)A specialist who can examine all your pensions, write a detailed report and recommend how to split them.[10]
- Financial adviserGives financial advice, for example on your pensions and how a settlement affects your plans for the future.[10]
Free, impartial help
- MoneyHelper: divorce and separation. Free, impartial money and pensions guidance, backed by government.
- GOV.UK: money and property when you divorce or separate. The official process, forms and fees.
- Citizens Advice: how to separate. Free, confidential advice online, by phone or in person.
- Advicenow: divorce and separation. Plain-English guides, especially if you're handling things without a lawyer.
- Family Mediation Council: what family mediation is. How family mediation works, from the body that sets standards for family mediators.
- Resolution: looking for help. Information from a national body of family justice professionals.
- GOV.UK: legal aid. Check whether you can get help with legal costs, including family mediation.
Find a mediator or family lawyer
- Family Mediation Council: find your local mediator. Search for a family mediator by postcode, including those qualified to sign court forms and those who do legal aid work.
- Resolution: find a law professional. Search Resolution's directory of family law professionals.
Directories run by professional bodies. We don't recommend or receive anything from any listed professional.
Sources
Last checked: 25 October 2026. We read every source below on that date. Rules and fees change, so check the official page before you act.
- Child Maintenance Service: what child maintenance is, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/what-child-maintenance-is
- Child Maintenance Service: make a private arrangement, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/private-arrangement
- Child Maintenance Service: making and receiving payments, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/payments
- Calculate your child maintenance, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/calculate-child-maintenance
- Child Maintenance Service: eligibility, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/eligibility
- Child Maintenance Service: how to apply, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/how-to-apply
- Child Maintenance Service: contact, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/contact
- How child maintenance is worked out, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/how-child-maintenance-is-worked-out
- Child Maintenance Service: when child maintenance stops, GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/when-child-maintenance-stops
- Split pensions in a divorce or dissolution, MoneyHelper. https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/pensions-and-retirement/pension-problems/split-pensions-in-a-divorce-or-dissolution