Sarah's story
Sarah rang Child Maintenance Options after it was clear her family-based arrangement with her ex-partner was breaking down. He had begun to make excuses for not paying on time and he often paid her less than what they'd agreed.
Sarah spoke to Options and one of the choices they spoke to her about was setting up a case with the Child Support Agency. She used the maintenance calculator on the Options website to find out how much she would receive for their son.
She found that if she used the CSA formula she would receive more maintenance. Equipped with this information, she contacted her ex-partner. With the threat of using the CSA and having to pay more, he started paying maintenance on time again. Sarah was happy to take less money than through CSA, if it meant they could both stay on good terms.
Sarah felt Options played a big part in helping her come to this decision. She found the service approachable, jargon-free and it told her clearly what she needed to know.
