How child maintenance affects benefits
If you’re the parent with the main day-to-day care of the child and you’re claiming benefits, here is information on how child maintenance might affect your benefits:
- If the other parent of your child is paying £20 or more in child maintenance you will be able to keep a maximum of £20 without your Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance being reduced, regardless of the child maintenance scheme you are on
- Your child maintenance payments will not affect a claim for Housing Benefit
- Your tax credit awards won’t be affected by your child maintenance
- As the statutory maintenance service will pay all of the money received in child maintenance payments directly to you it will be your responsibility to inform the Social Security Agency of any child maintenance payments received, as with other forms of income
Remember: if you’re on Income Support or Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, it’s your responsibility to let the Social Security Agency know about your child maintenance payments (for example how much you’re receiving and, or how often). If you are not sure what to do, phone us on free phone 0800 028 7439 and we’ll help you.
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