The way child maintenance affects benefits changed on 27 October 2008. If you're the parent with the main day-to-day care of your child and you're on benefits, you can now choose to arrange child maintenance through a private agreement or through the Child Support Agency (CSA). Whichever child maintenance option you choose, this is how it works.
Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- If you arrange child maintenance using the CSA, any money the other parent pays to the CSA is passed straight on to you.
- It's your responsibility to tell Jobcentre Plus how much child maintenance you receive and when you receive it.
- The first £20 of any child maintenance you receive each week has no effect on the amount of benefit that Jobcentre Plus pays you. After that, your child maintenance payments affect the level of benefits you receive.
For example, if you receive £30 per week in child maintenance, Jobcentre Plus will reduce your benefit by £10 per week. If you receive £40 per week in child maintenance, Jobcentre Plus will reduce your benefit by £20 per week.
Council Tax Benefit or Housing Benefit
- Any child maintenance money you receive has no effect on Council Tax or Housing Benefit.
Tax Credit award
- Any child maintenance money you receive has no effect on your Tax Credit award.
Child Maintenance Bonus
- Child Maintenance Bonus ended on 27 October 2008. If you satisfy the qualifying criteria, you have four weeks from 26 November 2008 to claim any bonus that may have built up. Read more about Child Maintenance Bonus.
