Petition · Department for Work and Pensions

Calculate child maintenance from net pay, not gross pay

Closed 128 signatures

What the petition asks

For child maintenance to be calculated from net pay not gross pay.
We want reform to the current method used to calculate child maintenance payments, which is based on a paying parent's gross income. While we fully support the fundamental principle that both parents should contribute to the upbringing and welfare of their children, we consider that the current system places an undue financial burden on the paying parent by not accounting for their actual take-home pay. This often results in a situation where child maintenance payments are calculated on an amount that the parent never actually receives.

Timeline

9 Jul 2025 Petition opened for signatures
9 Jan 2026 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 128
Status Closed
Department Department for Work and Pensions
Opened 9 Jul 2025
Closed 9 Jan 2026

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 11 Aug 2026.