How the Child Maintenance Service works out child maintenance
When payments can change
The amount you pay or receive in child maintenance can change when:
- your case is reviewed each year (your ‘annual review’)
- you or the other parent applies for a variation
- the paying parent has a change of circumstances that affects their income or expenses
- the paying parent is paying the flat, reduced or basic rate and there’s a change to the agreement on how often the child stays overnight with them or in local authority care
For the last two points, you might need to report a change as soon as they happen.