What is child maintenance?

For separated parents and carers who need to sort out money for a child's living costs.

Applies to: England, Scotland, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

Child maintenance is money that helps pay for a child's everyday living costs when one parent does not live with them.

Parents can agree it between themselves (a private arrangement), or use the Child Maintenance Service.
It is for children under 16, or under 20 if they are in approved education or training.
With Direct Pay there are no collection fees; with Collect and Pay the paying parent pays 20% extra and the receiving parent loses 4%.
Child maintenance does not affect your benefits and is not taxed.

Different in Scotland

In Scotland, a child over 12 can apply to the Child Maintenance Service themselves.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

For children under 16 (or under 20)
Direct Pay: no collection fees
Collect and Pay: 20% and 4% fees
Does not affect benefits

What it is

Child maintenance is how a child's living costs are paid when one of the parents does not live with them. Both parents are responsible for the costs of raising their child, even if they do not see the child.

The parent who does not have the child day to day is the paying parent. The one who does is the receiving parent.

Two ways to arrange it

Option	What it means
Private arrangement	You and the other parent agree the amount and how it is paid, without the government
Child Maintenance Service	A government service works out the amount, arranges payment and can take action if it is not paid

The Child Maintenance Service can also help if there is a disagreement about who the parent is, try to find a parent whose address you do not know, and help if you do not want the other parent to know where you live.

Who it is for

The child must be under 16, or under 20 if they are in approved education or training.

These people can apply to the Child Maintenance Service:

either parent (you do not need to live with the child)
a grandparent with main day-to-day care of the child
the child's guardian
a child over 12 living in Scotland

You must live in the UK as your main home and have the right to live here. You cannot use the service if you have a court-approved consent order that is less than a year old.

How payments work and what they cost

Direct Pay: the paying parent pays the receiving parent directly. There are no collection fees.

Collect and Pay: the service collects the money and passes it on. It can take payments from the paying parent's wages, by Direct Debit, or from their benefits or pension. There are collection fees:

Who	Fee
Paying parent	20%, added to the payment
Receiving parent	4%, taken off the payment

For example, if the weekly amount is £50, the paying parent pays £60 and the receiving parent gets £48.

How to apply

Use the "Get help arranging child maintenance" tool on GOV.UK. It gives you a reference number.
Apply to the Child Maintenance Service using that reference, or call the service if you cannot use the tool.
Have your bank details and National Insurance number ready. If you are the paying parent, you will also need your work, income and benefit details.

Things to know

Child maintenance does not affect any benefits you or your children get.
It is not taxed.
You can see an estimate of the amount using the GOV.UK child maintenance calculator.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Apply for child maintenance

Common questions

Does child maintenance affect Universal Credit?

No. Child maintenance payments will not affect any benefits that you and your children get.

Who can apply to the Child Maintenance Service?

Either parent, a grandparent with main day-to-day care, the child's guardian, or a child over 12 living in Scotland.

Can I use the Child Maintenance Service if I have a court order?

Not if you have a consent order approved by a court that is less than a year old.

Official sources

1.Child Maintenance Service: overviewwww.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service
2.Child Maintenance Service: eligibilitywww.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/eligibility
3.Child Maintenance Service: making and receiving paymentswww.gov.uk/child-maintenance-service/payments

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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