Legal changes have happened in child maintenance during 2008. They mainly affect parents where the parent with the main day-to-day care is on benefit.
Until the law changed, if you were the parent with the main day-to-day care and you were on benefit, you had to arrange child maintenance using the Child Support Agency (CSA). You weren't able to opt out and make a private agreement with the other parent.
But that's changed now.
- Since 27 October 2008, all parents have had the choice of setting up a child maintenance arrangement using the CSA or making a private agreement about child maintenance with the other parent.
- And if you're the parent with the main day-to-day care, you can now keep more of the child maintenance you receive before it affects your benefits. Read more about how child maintenance affects benefits.