How is child maintenance worked out?

For separated parents who want to estimate how much child maintenance will be paid.

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

The Child Maintenance Service works out a weekly amount based mainly on the paying parent's gross weekly income and the number of children.

Income of £200 to £3,000 a week uses the basic rate: 12% for 1 child, 16% for 2, or 19% for 3 or more, on the first £800.
Income above £800 a week is charged at 9%, 12% or 15%.
Income of £7 to £100 a week, or getting certain benefits, means the flat rate of £7 a week.
The amount goes down if the child stays overnight with the paying parent at least 52 nights a year.
The GOV.UK calculator gives an estimate to help you agree an amount.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Basic rate: 12%, 16% or 19%
Flat rate: £7 a week
Shared care cuts the amount
Income cap: £3,000 a week

The income bands

The Child Maintenance Service looks at the paying parent's gross weekly income. Gross means before tax and National Insurance are taken off. The band decides which rate is used.

Gross weekly income	Rate	Weekly amount
Not known	Default rate	£38 (1 child), £51 (2), £64 (3 or more)
Below £7	Nil rate	£0
£7 to £100, or gets certain benefits	Flat rate	£7
£100.01 to £199.99	Reduced rate	Worked out by a formula
£200 to £3,000	Basic rate	Worked out by a formula

If the paying parent earns more than £3,000 a week, the receiving parent can ask the courts for extra child maintenance.

How the basic rate works

The basic rate is a percentage of gross weekly income. The law sets the percentages.

Number of children	First £800 a week	Income over £800 a week
1	12%	9%
2	16%	12%
3 or more	19%	15%

Other children the paying parent supports

If the paying parent also supports other children (called relevant other children), their income is reduced first: by 11% for 1 other child, 14% for 2, and 16% for 3 or more.

Shared care

If the child stays overnight with the paying parent on agreed nights, the amount goes down.

Nights a year	Reduction
52 to 103	14.29%
104 to 155	28.57%
156 to 174	42.86%
175 or more	50%, plus a further £7 a week off

Payments cannot go below £7 a week.

Worked examples

Example 1. Sam earns £500 a week gross and has 1 child who does not stay over. 12% of £500 is £60 a week.

Example 2. Priya earns £1,000 a week gross and has 2 children. 16% of the first £800 is £128. 12% of the other £200 is £24. That makes £152 a week. If the children stay with her 60 nights a year, she gets a 14.29% cut, so she pays about £130.28 a week.

Example 3. Jo earns £500 a week and has 1 child living elsewhere, plus 1 other child at home. Income is cut by 11% to £445. 12% of £445 is £53.40 a week.

What else can change the amount

Who pays nothing: someone who shares care equally, a full-time student with no income, or someone in prison.
Using Collect and Pay adds collection fees on top.
You can ask for some other income or expenses to be included.

Using the calculator

The GOV.UK calculator gives an estimate to discuss if you are arranging maintenance yourselves. It cannot tell you exactly what you will get. You need the paying parent's income (including State Pension), any benefits they get, and how many nights the child stays with them.

Related guides

Where these figures come from

Get it done

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

Use the child maintenance calculator

Common questions

What is the minimum child maintenance?

Under the reduced and basic rates, payments cannot go below £7 a week. The flat rate is also £7 a week.

What if the paying parent earns more than £3,000 a week?

The Child Maintenance Service stops at £3,000 a week, but the receiving parent can apply to the courts for extra child maintenance.

Who does not have to pay through the Child Maintenance Service?

You will not owe payments if you share care equally, are a full-time student with no income, or are in prison.

Official sources

1.How child maintenance is worked outwww.gov.uk/how-child-maintenance-is-worked-out
2.Child Support Act 1991, Schedule 1www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/48/schedule/1
3.Calculate your child maintenancewww.gov.uk/calculate-child-maintenance

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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