Child Maintenance: Variation: Expenses
The following information is taken from the Child Maintenance Service leaflet ' How we work out child maintenance'. A link is provided at the bottom.
Expenses a paying parent can ask to be considered
A paying parent can ask to take certain expenses into account when Child Maintenance is being calculated. These are called ‘special expenses’ and can reduce the paying parent’s gross income figure at Step 2.
You can apply for a ‘special expenses variation’ for:
- the cost of keeping up regular contact with a child or children you are paying child maintenance for – for example, the cost of fuel to travel between your home and the child’s home (must be at least £10 a week)
- costs connected with supporting a child with a disability or a long-term illness who lives with the paying parent or their partner
- repaying debts from the former relationship – for example, if you are paying a car loan for a car the receiving parent has kept (must be at least £10 a week)
- boarding school fees for a child or children that qualify for child maintenance – but only the everyday living costs or ‘boarding’ part of the fees (must be at least £10 a week)
making payments on a mortgage, loan or insurance policy for the home that the paying parent and receiving parent used to share – the receiving parent and the child or children must still live in the home and the paying parent must have no legal or ‘equitable’ interest in it (must be at least £10 a week).
A paying parent can’t ask to take special expenses into account if their gross income is less than £7 a week or if they are getting benefits.
If you have an active CMS case then you need to contact the CMS on 0345 266 8792
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