How much does it cost to bring up a child? It’s a question that’s important for separated parents, and one that’s vital to answer when you’re discussing child maintenance with the other parent.
These forms can help you think about the things children need and work out the true cost of bringing up your child.
Use them to split up the money you spend on your child into individual parts, from nappies for babies to entertainment for teenagers, and then work out who is best placed to pay for them.
When to use these forms
These forms are most useful for parents who are working together to arrange child maintenance. If you’re thinking of making a family-based arrangement, the forms are a useful way of sorting out who’s going to pay for what and what the maintenance contribution should be.
They can also be helpful to use if you’re following our discussion guide. Take a few minutes to work out what your child needs and what those things will cost, and then you’ll have some real examples prepared for when you talk with the other parent.
Download the expenditure calculation sheets [PDF 54KB].
