Closed petition Reform child maintenance to consider income and outgoings of both parents

Closed on 25 February 2023

Child maintenance payments are based solely on the paying parent's income, but what about the receiving parent and their income, and outgoings of both parents? Income and outgoings of both parents should be taken into account. Reform is required to make the process fair.

It’s a matter of fairness. Two households can have the same outgoings but the parents be on different salaries. Income and outgoings should be taken into account for both households. We want the receiving parent's income to be considered but there is no provision for this.

How maintenance is calculated needs to be changed. The receiving parent's income should be taken into account, and the amount of child maintenance payable reduced where the receiving parent is on a higher income, and/or the receiving parent lives in a household which receives a second income from either a spouse or family member.