Child Maintenance Service — money for your child, outside the court case
REVIEWED BY: Sean McNamara on 2026-08-27
What this service is
The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is the government agency that arranges child maintenance when parents separate — either by agreement (family-based arrangement) or through a statutory CMS calculation and collection service. Maintenance is about the child's everyday costs and is handled separately from court children proceedings.
What they do
- Calculate who pays what, using the paying parent's gross income (a published formula)
- Operate two statutory types: Pay Direct (parent-to-parent) and Collect & Pay (CMS collects and passes on, with fees)
- Enforce non-payment (deduction from earnings, enforcement action)
How to use them
1. First try a family-based arrangement — free, flexible, agreed between you (mediation can help you agree one; see our mediation guide) 2. If that fails, apply to CMS: https://www.gov.uk/apply-child-maintenance (application fee; Collect & Pay adds service charges) 3. Have income/housing details for both parents to hand
How this fits your family court case
- Child maintenance is not decided by the family court in the same application as child arrangements (courts can't usually order ongoing maintenance anymore — it's CMS or agreement)
- Under the £500 voucher rules, cases involving both children and money can qualify for mediation; maintenance itself stays with CMS
- Consistent payment records matter if finances are disputed later
Official links
- https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance
- Apply: https://www.gov.uk/apply-child-maintenance
This page is general information, not legal advice. YourFamilyCase.co.uk is an independent information directory and is not affiliated with the CMS or gov.uk.
Content verified against the official HMCTS court directory, gov.uk forms and fees pages, and the professional body registers (SRA, FMC, Bar Council). Last reviewed September 2026.