England and Wales 
An introduction to child maintenance and the different options available to you.
Who this guide is for:
This guide is for you if you are a parent:
- separated from the other parent, and
- responsible for the main day-to-day care of your child, or
- living apart from your child and not the main day-to-day carer.
Guardians, relatives and anyone concerned about a child or family living apart may also find the information in this guide useful.
How this guide can help you:
This guide gives you information about:
- the options available for arranging child maintenance
- how to start putting a child maintenance arrangement in place
- ways that you might negotiate with the other parent
- how child maintenance can be calculated and what you might pay or receive
- practical steps forward and useful organisations which can help you.