Child Maintenance UK 2026 | How Much Should You Pay?

How much is child maintenance? For most paying parents in the UK, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) formula works out at 12% of gross weekly income for one child, 16% for two, and 19% for three or more — with reductions for shared care and other children you support. This guide explains the full calculation, the rate bands, CMS fees, and the alternatives most parents can use instead.

How Child Maintenance Is Calculated

The CMS uses a six-step formula set out in the official guide How we work out child maintenance:

Child Maintenance Rates 2026

| Rate band | Gross weekly income | What you pay | |-----------|--------------------|--------------| | Nil | Below £7 | Nothing | | Flat | £7-£100 (or on certain benefits) | £7 per week total | | Reduced | £100.01-£199.99 | £7 plus a sliding percentage | | Basic | £200-£800 | 12% / 16% / 19% of gross weekly income | | Basic Plus | £800.01-£3,000 | Basic rate on first £800, then 9% / 12% / 15% on the rest |

Income above £3,000 per week (£156,000/year) is ignored by the CMS — the receiving parent can apply to the family court for a "top-up" order above that cap.

Worked example

One child, £32,000 gross salary, no pension, no shared care: £32,000 ÷ 52 = £615 per week → basic rate → £615 × 12% = £74 per week (about £320 per month).

Shared Care Reductions

Maintenance reduces when children stay overnight with the paying parent:

| Nights per year | Reduction | |-----------------|-----------| | 52-103 (1+ per week) | 1/7 | | 104-155 (2+ per week) | 2/7 | | 156-174 (3+ per week) | 3/7 | | 175+ (equal-ish care) | 1/2, plus £7 further reduction per child |

Recording your actual overnight pattern in a parenting plan avoids disputes about which band applies.

Family-Based Arrangement vs CMS

Most parents don't have to use the CMS at all:

| | Family-based arrangement | CMS Direct Pay | CMS Collect & Pay | |--|--------------------------|----------------|-------------------| | Cost | Free | Free ongoing | Paying parent +20%, receiving parent -4% | | Flexibility | Total | CMS amount, you arrange payment | CMS collects and enforces | | Enforceable | No (unless made a consent order) | Yes, can escalate | Yes |

A family-based arrangement agreed in family mediation can cover things the CMS formula ignores — school costs, clubs, uniforms — and can be made legally binding as part of a consent order. Divorce mediation commonly settles maintenance alongside property and pensions.

How much child maintenance should I pay for one child?

At the basic rate: 12% of your gross weekly income (after pension contributions), reduced for shared care. On a £30,000 salary with no shared care that's roughly £69 per week. Use the calculator for your exact figure.

How much child maintenance will I get?

The same formula applies in reverse — it's based on the paying parent's gross income, the number of qualifying children and overnight stays. The CMS uses HMRC data, so undeclared changes in income can be reviewed annually or if income shifts by 25%+.

What if the paying parent is self-employed?

The CMS uses taxable profits from their latest HMRC self-assessment. If you believe income is being hidden or diverted, you can ask the CMS for a variation (for example, based on unearned income or diversion of income).

Does child maintenance affect benefits?

No. Child maintenance payments are not counted as income for Universal Credit and do not affect the receiving parent's benefits.

Until what age is child maintenance paid?

Until the child is 16, or 20 if they stay in approved full-time non-advanced education (A-levels or equivalent), or until Child Benefit stops.

Sources & Further Reading

• GOV.UK — How we work out child maintenance
• GOV.UK — Calculate your child maintenance
• GOV.UK — Child Maintenance Service
• GOV.UK — Making a family-based arrangement

Related guides: Child maintenance calculator · Parenting plan · Separation agreement · Financial disclosure