If you’re going through a divorce or separation, we know that your biggest concern will be your children. Our child maintenance lawyers can help you agree how much you or your former partner should pay going forward, change the terms of an existing agreement, or help if maintenance payments have stopped.
Child maintenance is paid by the parent who the child does not live with for the majority of the time. There are three ways that child maintenance can be agreed:
- Agreeing maintenance payments directly with your former partner – also known as a “family-based arrangement”, this is usually the cheapest and quickest way to agree child maintenance.
- The Child Maintenance Service – a government scheme that calculates the maintenance payment for you. However, you will have to pay some charges and financial penalties if the Child Maintenance Service is forced to get involved in your case.
- Court Order – the court has the power to set maintenance payments. This is usually the case when the paying parent has a high income and/or lives abroad.
Generally speaking, child maintenance is paid until your child reaches 16 (or 20 if they continue in full time education). If you or your former partner’s circumstances change, then you are able to change the terms of your agreement.
Our child maintenance solicitors take a no-nonsense approach to agreeing arrangements for children following a relationship breakdown. We are known for being firm in protecting our clients’ interests, but also for being honest about your chances of achieving what you want. Our lawyers often help people who have received bad advice from another law firm, or whose corner has not been fought.
If you’d like to talk to us about your situation, please contact us to arrange a consultation with one of our child maintenance lawyers. You can call us on 0370 1500 100 or contact us online and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Mediation Support Service – 30-Minute Consultation
Family mediation can be a less confrontational and more cost-effective way to resolve a dispute. We offer a 30-minute consultation with one of our solicitors to discuss your situation and if mediation is right for you.
If you decide to go ahead with mediation, you can benefit from our cost effective mediation support service. This service will give you the advice, support and tools to get the best possible outcome – particularly if you’re representing yourself.
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