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Child Maintenance Reform: Put Children First

  • Deanna Newell
  • Mar 30
  • 2 min read

Child maintenance was introduced in the UK in 1993 under the Child Support Act 1991, creating a legal framework to ensure children receive financial support from both parents, even after separation or divorce. Its purpose is to protect children, not punish parents, giving them stability, security, and the resources needed to thrive.


Yet for far too many families, child maintenance has become a system riddled with loopholes, financial manipulation, and unfair outcomes.


Paying parents who meet their obligations , including divorce settlements, housing, and pensions,  often struggle, while children bear the consequences.


The Core Problems


1. Income Assessment Gaps


  • Current calculations rely on gross income, ignoring real-life financial commitments.

  • Complex earnings — such as dividends, retained profits, and company-held funds — are often underrepresented.


2. Misalignment with Family Courts


  • Family courts determine child arrangements, overnight contact, and safeguarding based on evidence.

  • CMS calculations sometimes adjust maintenance based on informal or disputed contact changes, creating conflict.


3. Living Costs Ignored


  • Housing, everyday living costs, and prior divorce settlements are rarely considered, leaving responsible parents under strain.


4. Enforcement Weaknesses


  • Evidence shows over £756 million in unpaid child maintenance since 2012, affecting thousands of children’s financial stability.


Court-Verified Contact Only


Maintenance should reflect court-ordered arrangements only, including indirect contact or no-contact orders.


  • Informal or disputed changes should not automatically alter financial liability.

  • This aligns financial outcomes with legal decisions, reduces conflict, and protects children from adult disputes.


Statistics Highlight the Need for Reform


  • Around 3.8 million adults experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2025 (ONS), which can affect maintenance outcomes.


  • Over 1.1 million children are covered by CMS arrangements (2025), yet 26% of paying parents pay nothing (Gingerbread).


  • Complex income loopholes can mean some self-employed or company directors pay as little as £83 per child per month, far below a realistic threshold.


What Children Need


  • Stability

  • Consistent support

  • Protection from financial disputes between parents


Our Reform Demands


  1. Court-verified contact only: Maintenance must reflect legal orders, not informal or unverified changes.

  2. Transparent, accurate financial assessment: Include all income sources — business earnings, dividends, retained profits.

  3. Consider real-life costs: Housing, living expenses, and prior settlements must factor into calculations.

  4. Stronger enforcement: Ensure arrears are collected promptly so children receive reliable support.


Why This Matters


Child maintenance exists to protect children, not to create conflict or penalize paying parents. Paying parents often meet their obligations, yet still struggle, while unverified contact changes or loopholes leave children without support.


We campaign for a child-focused system that is:-


  • Fair — reflecting true financial capacity and prior contributions

  • Transparent — closing loopholes and improving income assessment

  • Consistent — aligning maintenance with court-verified contact

  • Protective — ensuring children always receive what they are entitled to


Conclusion


Children deserve stability, security, and consistent support, not to bear the consequences of adult disputes or system gaps.

Reform is not about blame; it is about fairness, consistency, and putting children first.


Every child deserves a secure, stable, and fair start in life,  nothing less.

Deanna Newell Family Law

Advocacy for truth-tellers, survivors, and the children who deserve better

 
 
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