If my circumstances change, do my child maintenance payments change too?
Although when addressing the specific circumstances of any individual or family suitably qualified legal advice should instead be sought, a recent House of Commons Paper gives guidance to separated families on what to expect.
In Great Britain, regulation 34 of The Child Support Maintenance Calculation Regulations 2012 states that adjustments to child maintenance payments for any paying parent will be made if their gross weekly income has changed by 25%.
This remains the case during the Coronavirus outbreak.
On changes that should be reported to the CMS, CMS Information for Paying parents says it should be told:
- If you have lost your job
- If you are temporarily receiving no income while you are self-isolating during the outbreak of COVID-19
- If you are temporarily receiving statutory sick pay during the outbreak of COVID-19
- If child maintenance should no longer be paid because of a change in circumstances
- If you are adopting a child, or
- If you are reporting a bereavement
It has been confirmed by the Department of Work and Pensions that the CMS is currently accepting verbal evidence of income changes over the phone. It will revert to previous standards once the outbreak has ended and states enforcement action will be taken against those who abuse the change in the evidence threshold.
The latest guidance from the House of Commons Library on separated families can be found here: Coronavirus: Separated Families and Contact with children in care