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Different rules for working out child maintenance

The way the CSA works out your child maintenance depends on when your case was opened.

If your case was opened after March 2003, child maintenance is worked out using the 2003 scheme rules (sometimes called 'current scheme'). If your case was opened before March 2003, child maintenance is worked out using the 1993 scheme rules (sometimes called 'old scheme').

For information about the 1993 scheme, download the following leaflets.

• Download 'Your child maintenance assessment and help in meeting exceptional circumstances' (PDF, 360K) Opens new window

• Download 'For parents who live apart' (PDF, 398K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

For information about being self-employed and using the 1993 scheme, download the following leaflet.

• Download 'Notes for non-resident parents who are self-employed' (PDF, 336K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

Information the CSA needs to work out child maintenance

To work out child maintenance, the CSA looks at several things, including:

• the non-resident parent’s net weekly income
• the number of children who need child maintenance
• how often those children stay overnight with the non-resident parent
• if there are any other children who the non-resident parent (or their partner) get child benefit for
• if the non-resident parent is paying child maintenance for any other children

A non-resident parent is the parent who the child does not normally live with.

The CSA gets this information from both parents. They can also get information about income from the non-resident parent's employer or HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

How the CSA works out a non-resident parent’s net income

The CSA counts the non-resident parent’s income as being:

• their earnings (including benefit payments)
• money from an occupational or personal pension
• certain tax credits

Net income is the amount of income that’s left after the following things are taken out:

• tax
• National Insurance
• pension contributions

Child maintenance rates

To work out a weekly amount of child maintenance, the CSA use:

• the non-resident parent's net weekly income information
• one of four 'rates'

The rate used depends on what the non-resident parent’s income is or if certain circumstances apply to them.

Once a rate has been used, other factors are considered. For example, if the children that need child maintenance stay overnight with the non-resident parent, the amount may be reduced.

Below is a summary of each rate.

Flat rate

The flat rate is £5 - no matter how many children are involved.

This rate is used if the non-resident parent’s net weekly income is between £5 and £100 and they don’t qualify for the nil rate.

It’s also used if the non-resident parent gets certain benefits, including (but not limited to):

• Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
• Bereavement Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Income Support
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit
• State Pension
• Training Allowance
• War Disablement Pension

If the non-resident parent has a partner they live with, the flat rate will be used if the partner gets:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit

Basic rate

Basic rate is used if a non-resident parent has a net weekly income of £200 or more.

The basic rate is a percentage of net income. The percentage used depends on:

• the number of children needing child maintenance
• the number of other children the non-resident parent (or their partner) get child benefit for

Reduced rate

Reduced rate is used if the non-resident parent’s net weekly income is more than £100 but less than £200.

The non-resident parent pays:

• the flat rate of £5
• plus a percentage of their net weekly income between £100 and £200

The percentage is used in the same way as with the basic rate. However the size of the percentage is different from basic rate.

Nil rate

Nil rate is used if a non-resident parent:

• is a student
• is a child
• is a prisoner
• gets an allowance for work-based training or Skill-seekers training (in Scotland)
• lives in a care home or independent hospital and gets help with the fees
• is between 16-17 years old and they or their partner get certain benefits

Child maintenance calculator

You can use the online child maintenance calculator to see how much child maintenance might be payable.

• Child maintenance calculator Opens new window

If the non-resident parent has to pay for other children

Sometimes a non-resident parent uses the CSA to pay child maintenance to more than one parent with care. The parent with care is the parent or carer who the child normally lives with.

In these cases the CSA will:

• work out the total amount of child maintenance the non-resident parent has to pay
• divide that amount between all the parents with care, according to how many children they each care for

For more information about how child maintenance is worked out in 2003 scheme cases download the following leaflet.

• Download 'How is child maintenance worked out' (PDF, 359K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files

More useful links

• Download 'For parents who live apart' (PDF, 398K) Opens new window

• Download 'Your child maintenance assessment and help in meeting exceptional circumstances' (PDF, 360K) Opens new window

• Download 'Notes for non-resident parents who are self-employed' (PDF, 336K) Opens new window

• Download 'How is child maintenance worked out' (PDF, 359K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files