What is child maintenance?
Last updated: 28/07/2026
The parent who does not have the main day-to-day care of their children may have to make payments to the parent looking after the children. This is known as child maintenance.
Both parents are legally responsible for the financial costs of bringing up their children. The parents do not need to have been married or in a civil partnership and the father’s name does not need to be on the child’s birth certificate.
Child maintenance is regular reliable financial support for children and young peoples’ everyday living costs in separated families. This benefit can be received up until your child is 20. Find out more about Child Benefit.
The amount of child maintenance paid can be decided by the parents, through a solicitor, or through the Child Maintenance Service.