If you can’t agree a child maintenance arrangement with the other parent, either of you can ask the Child Support Agency (CSA) to arrange child maintenance on your behalf. This means the CSA calculates how much maintenance should be paid to the parent with main day to day care of the child or children, applying current legislation.

The CSA can also arrange for maintenance to be collected and paid to the other parent.

All money paid through the CSA is paid to the other parent even if they are in receipt of tax credits or benefits. If the non-resident parent is in receipt of benefits, then under the CSA rules a fixed amount of the benefit will be paid to the other parent as child maintenance.

Find out more about more about using the Child Support Agency at www.direct.gov.uk .