Child Maintenance Calculator

Calculate estimated child support payments based on UK CMS guidelines.

Gross Annual Income (£) Number of Children Do you have other children living with you? Overnight Stays per Year

What is Child Maintenance?

Child maintenance refers to the financial support one parent provides to the other for the upbringing of their child or children. This support helps cover costs like food, clothing, education, and other essentials. The UK Child Maintenance Service (CMS) sets guidelines to calculate the amount of support a non-residential parent should pay. Our Child Maintenance Calculator estimates the payment amount based on these guidelines, taking into account your income, the number of children, and other relevant factors.

How Does the Child Maintenance Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the UK CMS guidelines to estimate the amount of child maintenance you may be required to pay. You’ll need to provide the following details:

Gross Annual Income: Your total annual income before taxes.
Number of Children: The number of children you are providing maintenance for.
Other Children: Whether you have other children living with you, which can reduce your maintenance amount.
Overnight Stays: The number of overnight stays your children spend with you, which can reduce the maintenance amount if the shared care is significant.

The calculator then uses these details to calculate:

Weekly Maintenance Payment: The amount you would need to pay each week.
Monthly Maintenance Payment: The equivalent monthly payment.
Annual Maintenance Payment: The total annual payment.

The amount may be adjusted based on the guidelines for the number of children and the amount of shared care you have.

Formula for Calculating Child Maintenance

The calculation is done using the following steps:

1. Calculate Weekly Gross Income:

Weekly Income = Gross Annual Income / 52

2. Apply Reductions for Other Children Living with You:

Reduction Percentage: Based on the number of other children living with you:
    - 0 children: No reduction
    - 1 child: 11% reduction
    - 2 children: 14% reduction
    - 3+ children: 16% reduction

3. Calculate Base Rate for Child Maintenance:

For 1 child: 12% of weekly income

For 2 children: 16% of weekly income

For 3+ children: 19% of weekly income

4. Apply Shared Care Reduction:

If your children stay with you:
    - 1-51 nights: No reduction
    - 52-103 nights: 6/7 of base maintenance
    - 104-154 nights: 5/7 of base maintenance
    - 155-174 nights: 3/7 of base maintenance
    - 175+ nights: 1/7 of base maintenance

5. Calculate Monthly and Annual Payments:

Monthly Maintenance = Weekly Maintenance × 52 / 12

Annual Maintenance = Weekly Maintenance × 52

5 FAQs for Better Understanding

1. How is the child maintenance amount determined?

The maintenance amount is based on your gross annual income, the number of children, whether you have other children living with you, and how much shared care you have. The calculator applies the UK CMS guidelines to estimate your monthly, weekly, and annual payments.

2. What is the impact of shared care on the maintenance amount?

If your children stay with you overnight, the calculator reduces your maintenance amount based on the number of nights they stay with you. The more overnight stays, the greater the reduction in the maintenance payment.

3. What if I have more than one child to support?

The calculator adjusts the percentage of your income required for child maintenance depending on how many children you are supporting. For one child, it's 12% of your weekly income, for two children, it's 16%, and for three or more children, it's 19%.

4. How does having other children living with me affect the calculation?

If you have other children living with you, the calculator applies a reduction to your income. This reduction reflects the financial responsibility you have for your other children, thus lowering your child maintenance obligation for the child or children not living with you.

5. Is this calculation an official figure I must pay?

This is an estimate based on UK CMS guidelines. Actual amounts may vary depending on your specific circumstances, and the CMS will provide an official amount. It's always a good idea to check with the CMS or a legal professional for an accurate figure tailored to your situation.