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You can apply for a special expenses variation for the following:
Travel costs to maintain regular contact with your child (if more than ยฃ10 a week)
Costs connected with supporting a child with a disability or a long-term illness
Repaying debts from your former relationship, e.g. a loan for a car the receiving parent has kept
Boarding school fees for children who qualify for child maintenance
Paying the mortgage for the property where the receiving parent and child live
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Basic Rate The Basic rate applies the amount of child maintenance you will pay each week is based on the following percentages:
12% for one child
16% for two children
19% for three or more children
Basic Plus Rate If your gross weekly income is more than ยฃ800, the Basic Plus rate of child maintenance is applied as well as the Basic rate. In addition to the percentage rates applied to the first ยฃ800 above, the following percentages are calculated on any balance over ยฃ800:
9% for one child
12% for two children
15% for three or more children
The basic plus rate is capped at ยฃ3000 per week.
Reduced Rate For the reduced rate you would pay a fixed rate of ยฃ7 a week for the ๏ฌrst ยฃ100 and the following percentage will be applied to the balance:
17% for one child
25% for two children
31% for three or more children
Flat Rate and Nil Rate If your weekly gross income is less than ยฃ100 or you or your partner receive certain benefits, you would pay a flat rate of ยฃ7 a week in child maintenance.
If you are under 16, a student aged 19 or less, in prison or in a care home, you would not have to pay any child maintenance.
The more nights that your children stay overnight with you, the more the calculator will reduce the weekly amount of child maintenance:
52 to 103 nights = 1/7 (14% reduction)
104 to 155 nights = 2/7 reduction
156 to 174 nights = 3/7 reduction
More than 175 = 50% reduction plus an extra ยฃ7 a week for each child
If you have other children, the calculator will reduce your weekly gross income by the following percentage:
