Category

Divorce and Separation

Nov 28
0
Parents sit on sofa looking unhappy with child in the foreground

Child maintenance explained

By | Children, Divorce and Separation

When facing divorce from a partner, finances can become a massive concern, especially when you have children involved. 

Child maintenance comes into play when one of the children’s parents no longer lives with them. 

Arranging child maintenance between you and your ex can improve your child’s overall wellbeing and keep the family relationships in a positive communicative space. That’s why it’s important to get a good grasp on what child maintenance is and how to arrange it. 

 

What is Child Maintenance?

Child maintenance is the regular financial support that helps with day-to-day costs involved with raising children. If your child is under the age of 18 and if they are in full time education lower than A-Level, they are eligible to receive child maintenance. 

Both parents, divorced or separated, are legally responsible for the financial costs of their child. You’ll be wanting your child’s lifestyle and general welfare to continue even with the change in circumstance.

Parents sit on sofa looking unhappy with child in the foreground 

What are the different arrangements for child maintenance?

There are three types of arrangement you can choose from. Your circumstance will ultimately determine which option you go with. 

Family Arrangement

A family arrangement is where the two parties agree on a maintenance arrangement privately outside of the court or a CMS (Child Maintenance Service). It is legal to discuss and agree on an arrangement outside of the court but we always recommend having the agreement put into writing so that both parties are clear of the expectations of the maintenance arrangement and so there are no grey areas. 

Consent Order 

A consent order means a court has ruled the maintenance agreement. A consent order is reached by submitting this form with help from your solicitor. Your solicitor can assist you with filling it correctly. Both parents will have to agree on an amount of maintenance which is fair and justified against the amount of earnings on both sides.

If you’d like advice on how this figure is worked out, get in touch and we’ll discuss what a fair amount should look like for you and your child. 

Both parties will have to consent to the amount so seeking legal advice at this stage could be of great benefit. Speak to one of our highly experienced lawyers at Bromfield today.

Can I write my own consent order?

For the Judge to grant your order, you must have the consent order professionally drafted up by a solicitor. However, you can file a consent order on your own. 

 

Filing a consent order is essentially submitting the initial application. Granting the order means the court has agreed with the application and the consent order must be carried out.  

How much does a consent order cost? 

There are some legal fees you’ll have to foot if you are submitting the consent order. These are 

  • Form submission/ Court fees (£53 approx)
  • Solicitors (can cost anywhere between £700-£2000 approx)
  • Mediators (registered mediators can cost between £100-£170)

piggy bank with stack of coins to the side of it

Child Maintenance Service 

CMS’s are private companies who assist parents without a consent order or family arrangement in place. Child maintenance services also lend themselves to helping those who are struggling to fulfil their agreement or those who are not compliant. 

Fees for using the services of Child Maintenance Service vary depending on the service and provider you use. 

CMS’s offer payment arrangements such as ‘direct pay’ and ‘collect and pay’ on your behalf. 

Explore your options for your child’s maintenance with us at Bromfield Legal 

 

How much child maintenance should I get?

Knowing how much you and your child are entitled to in child maintenance should be at the top of your priority list. Seeking the help and advice of a qualified solicitor could help illuminate any confusion over what you’re entitled to. 

As a standard rate we can see the percentage a parent is expected to pay per child here-

  • One child = 12% of your gross weekly income 
  • Two children = 16% of your gross weekly income 
  • Three or more children = 19% of your gross weekly income 

 

Check out the .gov child maintenance calculator to get a more accurate look at the amount either you or your ex partner should pay. 

My ex isn’t paying child maintenance

You may have taken all the right steps to arrange your consent order for your child’s maintenance with your ex partner but now they won’t or aren’t able to reach the payments. Here are the steps to take to Enforce an Order 

 

 

  • Report the breach. Fill in form C79 to start the application for the court to enforce the child arrangements order. 

 

  • Send to the nearest court to you that deals with cases involving children.

 

  • The cost of submitting this form is £232

 

Need help with this form? Get in touch with our team who are ready to guide you through the process. Let’s start the process together with Bromfield Legal. 

 

We are proud to offer affordable legal advice and assistance. We appreciate that everyone has different financial situations and fixed fee options are available. Contact us by email or call us  on 024 7638 2343 

Oct 06
0
couple handing over their wedding rings in a divorce

How long does it take to divorce?

By | Divorce and Separation

The divorce process, and the ancillary issues such as property, finance and children, can be a long and drawn-out one. It all really hinges on just how contested the issues are and how much a couple is able to agree on together.

On average, divorces in this country take around 6 months to complete. However, some people spend far longer arguing the toss with their ex regarding the ancillary issues. So, it’s also not unheard of for hotly contested divorces to take 2 years or more to finalise.

To begin official divorce proceedings in the UK, you must have already been married for at least 1 year. If you want to get divorced before this 1 year period elapses, you can alternatively seek a legal separation without divorcing, which gives the courts the power to decide issues relating to finance and property.

What are the grounds for divorce?

The only ground for divorce under the new law which came into effect in April 2022 is the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. Either party can commence the proceedings. Usually, it is not possible for the other party to defend or delay the proceedings.

This process avoids the proceedings being costly, both financially and emotionally. However, if you are deciding on important matters like childcare arrangements for your children, and financial settlements the proceedings can still be prolonged and expensive, particularly if expert legal advice is not obtained at an early stage.

Pick the right family solicitors firm

Once you feel like getting a divorce will be inevitable, you will want to get it sorted and have the papers in your hands as soon as possible. How long it takes for you to divorce could rest on choosing the services of a good family solicitors firm.

You need to work with legal professionals who know what they’re doing. Otherwise, the divorce and ancillary proceedings can be long-winded and frustrating. At Bromfield Legal, we are experts in family law. We have a wealth of experience in helping to get the best results for our clients, ensuring their divorces are completed as stress-free and as quickly as possible.

Divorce documents

There is essential paperwork you need to have in the UK as evidence to prove you’re now officially divorced and allowed to remarry. When a marriage or civil partnership has officially been terminated by divorce, both the petitioner and the responder will receive the Final Order of Divorce (previously known as the decree absolute). Once your application for the Final Order has been sent to the family court, your divorce will be finalised within a few weeks at most, and often within a few days.

Try remaining calm

Try staying well-mannered and affable with your ex-partner. This will help speed everything up and make things go more smoothly.

divorcing couple

There’s nothing wrong with being candid about the arrangements you want to secure in your divorce arrangement. However, there’s no need to be rude or inflame an already stressful situation for both parties and your loved ones. Remain as calm as possible. This should help to give you some peace of mind during an inevitably tricky time in your life.

For dedicated legal advice to help you through a divorce or separation, look no further than Bromfield Legal. Get in touch by phoning us at our Nuneaton office or sending an email to enquiries@bromfieldlegal.co.uk.