Child support is payable by parents to support their children following the parents’ separation.
The Child Support Agency (a government department) assesses and coordinates the payment of child support. A parent’s obligation to pay to the other parent is determined by application of formulas which are designed to take into account various factors such as the parents’ incomes and time they each spend caring for the child/ren.
In certain circumstances, parents can enter into binding agreements in which they agree upon arrangements for the payment of child support which are different to the assessment of the Child Support Agency.