Rejected petition: Reform Child Maintenance Calculations for Fairer Contributions from Both Parents
Rejected on
We call on the UK Government to reform child maintenance so both parents contribute fairly.
The current system bases payments on the paying parent's income, usually the non-resident parent, rather than both parents' finances.
We call for the following reforms:
Consider both parents' finances, including employment, investment and self-assessment income.
Proportionate contributions, with each parent contributing according to their means and the higher earner paying a greater share.
Use net income, with child maintenance based on income after tax, NI and statutory deductions.
Protect against financial hardship, ensuring payments are affordable and proportionate, with safeguards against unreasonable hardship or financial abuse.
Recognise shared responsibility, with both parents contributing according to their financial circumstances rather than placing the burden primarily on one.
Why was this petition rejected?
There’s already a petition about this issue. We cannot accept a new petition when we already have one about a very similar issue.
You are more likely to get action on this issue if you sign and share a single petition.
We already have a petition open asking generally for the same thing as your petition is generally seeking, which you may wish to sign:
Review CMS Payments To Ensure Fairness For Paying Parents and Children
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/770444We also have a more specific one, dealing with one of the more concrete proposals in your text:
Base CMS payments on NET income not gross
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/778070We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.