The main aim of the new system is to promote parents entering into Family Based Voluntary Arrangements for child maintenance. However, these private Family Based Arrangements are not legally enforceable.
If a private child maintenance agreement between the parents is unsuccessful or not appropriate then the parent with full time care of the child/children can make an application to the Child Maintenance Service.
The new scheme introduces the following changes in relation to the current scheme:
•If the parent with care is unable to ascertain the non-resident parent's income for assessment purposes then the CSA will be able to request this information on their behalf directly from HMRC.
•There will be fees for using the service to include an application fee (£20), a calculation fee (£25) and payment collection fees from both parents (20% of the maintenance from the non-resident parent on top of the maintenance payment and 7% from the parent with care which is deducted from the maintenance payment).
•The non-resident parent decides the method of payment .
•If the parents share equal care of the child/children then no child maintenance will be payable.
•New enforcement methods are going to be introduced
•The payment calculation will be based on gross income of the non-resident parent referred to as the Gross Income Scheme (as opposed to the current calculations on net income)
This scheme wil be phased in.
By December 2012 this scheme will be introduced for those parents with care of at least four children with the same father.
By Late 2013 it will apply to those parents with care of nleast two children with the same father.
By 2014 it will apply to all
For help with child maintenance or with any other family law matter please call Julia Brown now on 01606 841273 or email enquiries@famlegal.co.uk
