Financial Provision for Children

It can be difficult to reach an agreement on the appropriate financial support for children following a divorce or separation.

When a couple separates and one parent becomes primarily responsible for their children, they are known as the resident parent. The other parent, or the non-resident parent, is obliged to provide child maintenance to help cover their everyday living costs.  

In cases where it is not possible to reach an agreement on financial provision for children, it may be necessary to involve the Child Maintenance Service. Our expert child maintenance solicitors can advise and guide you through this process. The Child Maintenance Service will look at the non-resident parent’s income with reference to documents filed at HMRC and calculate the relevant child maintenance payment, taking into account any overnight contact they have with the children. However, if either parent lives outside of the UK then the Child Maintenance Service will not be able to assist.  

There may also be circumstances where an application to the court is required to secure additional financial provision for children, which our specialist family law solicitors can advise on. This is called a Schedule 1 Application and is often made in cases with unmarried parents. This could include help to meet expenses in relation to a child’s disability, education or housing needs.  If this is successful, the court may order monthly payments, the payment of a lump sum, or orders in relation to the provision of property.  

Family law cases involving children can be difficult to navigate and it is important to get early legal advice on the appropriate child support. Our family lawyers offer an initial free consultation so you can detail your particular circumstances and explore some of the options available to you. 

To speak to our expert family solicitors about financial provision for children, call 0191 281 6151 today or email us at family@mincoffs.co.uk.